Have
you
ever
felt
there’s
something
lacking
within
you?
A
longing;
a
need;
a
void;
an
emptiness;
or
an
indescribable
feeling
that
something
is
missing
on
the
“inside.”
But
you
don’t
know
what
it
is?
It’s
similar
to
when
we’re
hungry
or
thirsty
for
something,
but
we
don’t
know
what
specific
food
or
beverage
will
fill
our
craving.
So,
we
try
to
eat
or
drink
what’s
available.
But
the
craving
on
the
inside
remains.
All
of
us
have
experienced
this
scenario
of
being
hungry
or
thirsty for something—which occurs within the physical realm.
And
in
the
same
manner
we
seek
food
and
fluids
to
fulfill
our
hunger
and
thirst,
we
seek
different
earthly
“things” to fill this unknown void that’s within us. For example:
•
Wealth
—Some
have
a
belief
that
if
they
obtain
a
sufficient
amount
of
wealth
many
of
their
problems
will
go
away.
However,
money
will
never
fill
our
deepest
needs
and
make
us
whole—which
is
often
reflected by the persona and behavior of wealthy persons.
•
Power
—Attempting
to
obtain
power
is
another
attempt
to
fill
the
void.
However,
power
will
often
corrupt
the
person
who
holds
the
power.
A
19th
century
British
politician
once
declared
“Power
corrupts,
and
absolute
power
corrupts
absolutely.”
In
other
words,
as
a
person’s
power
increases,
their moral sense diminishes—which is often exemplified by politicians and corporate executives.
•
Sex
—Some
perceive
sex
as
a
means
to
fulfill
their
deepest
needs.
However,
all
sexual
activity
outside
of
God’s
intended
design
will
result
in
multiple
unintended
consequences
and
internal
devastation—which is often documented in the news by those who have fallen victim to Satan’s lies.
•
Drugs
—Including
alcohol
and
illicit
narcotics
is
another
source
of
perceived
fulfillment.
As
such,
many
of
us
are
aware
of
someone
who
has
been
devastated
by
addiction;
and
are
either
dying
a
slow death, or have died.
•
Approval
—Some
seek
approval
from
others
as
a
means
to
improve
their
perception
of
their
self-
worth.
However,
this
attempt
is
often
thwarted
because
those
whom
are
sought
for
approval
are
often
more
interested
in
themselves
than
others.
Besides,
consider
for
a
moment
what
it
would
be
like
to
receive
an
approval
from
God
in
the
form
of
an
indescribable
blessing
that
occurs
within
your
heart and soul.
•
Recognition
—Some
are
driven
by
seeking
recognition
in
the
form
of
praise,
honor
and
respect.
This also is fleeting and puffs up our self-centered pride.
•
Knowledge
—Some
perceive
the
accumulation
of
knowledge
will
provide
them
with
an
enhanced
mental
acuity
to
overcome
obstacles
and
improve
their
life.
But
what
is
more
important
than
knowledge...is wisdom from God.
These are only a few types of things we vainly attempt to fill the void within us. You may know others.
In
the
book
of
Ecclesiastes,
King
Solomon—who
had
great
wisdom,
wealth,
esteem,
and
power—declared
human
endeavors
and
worldly
pursuits
are
vain,
have
no
real
value,
and
are
meaningless.
Because
of
his
position
and
power,
he
tried
everything
possible
to
fill
the
void
within
him—but
to
no
avail.
He
eventually
realized
all
that
he
tried
was
meaningless.
King
Solomon
wrote,
“Whatever
my
eyes
desired
I
did
not
keep
from
them.
I
did
not
withhold
my
heart
from
any
pleasure,
for
my
heart
rejoiced
in
all
my
labor.
Then
I
looked
on
all
the
works
that
my
hands
had
done
and
on
the
labor
in
which
I
had
toiled;
and
indeed
all
was
vanity
and
grasping
for
the
wind.”
Ecclesiastes
2:10-11
Unfortunately,
many
persons
attempt
to
fill
their
missing
piece
of
the
puzzle
by
following
the
same
path
as King Solomon.
For
in
truth,
the
spiritual
void
within
our
heart
and
soul
can
only
be
filled
by
God.
Because
this
missing
piece
of
the
puzzle—purposefully
designed
by
God—operates
within
the
spiritual
realm.
Those
who
develop
an
awareness
that
something
is
missing
within
their
heart
and
soul
do
so
because
of
the
workings
of
the
Holy
Spirit.
But
what’s
more,
those
who
realize
this
need
are
at
the
threshold
of
receiving
a
transformative
spiritual
blessing
and
an
eternal
fulfillment.
Because
the
missing
piece
of
the
puzzle can only be placed within our heart and soul by God—which is the intent of H
is design.
Many
are
unaware
they
are
spiritually
drowning
in
a
dark
and
sinful
world—all
because
of
a
belief
in
Satan’s
lies
in
an
attempt
to
to
fill
the
spiritual
void.
In
addition,
those
who
are
living
in
darkness
think
this
is
the
“best
as
it
gets”
as
they
struggle
to
stay
afloat.
However,
because
of
God’s
love
and
grace,
He
will
influence
the
desires
of
our
heart
and
our
attitude
towards
our
sin
to
move
us
from
darkness
and
into
His
light.
Here
are
examples
of
what
occurs
when
God
reaches
out to save the lost:
•
Realization
of
Consequences
—His
influence
begins
by
causing
us
to
consider
and
evaluate
the
various consequences of our sin—to ourselves and others.
•
Bondage
—Thereafter,
we
begin
to
recognize
how
the
sin
controls
us.
Jesus
said
in
John
8:34,
“Whover commits sin is a slave of sin.”
•
Repulsed
—As
we
become
more
aware
of
the
consequences
and
control
of
sin...we
soon
develop
a
deep repulsion towards our transgressions.
•
Freedom
—As
we
take
a
realistic
view
of
our
situation,
we
develop
a
growing
desire
to
break
free
from the bondage of our sin.
•
Righteousness
—We also develop a desire to do what is right and good.
•
Help
—There
is
a
point
in
time
when
we
will
arrive
at
a
conclusion:
that
because
of
our
weaknesses
we
cannot
break
free
from
our
bondage
by
ourselves,
and
the
only
means
of
escape
and
to
overcome is by God’s assistance.
•
Prayer
—When
we
reach
this
point
is
when
we
will
humble
ourselves
and
reach
out
to
God
through
prayer.
It
is
when
this
transformational
awareness
occurs
within
our
heart
and
soul
is
when
God’s
grace
and
love
reaches
down
and
pulls
us
out
from
the
depths
of
our
drowning.
Think
about
it...the
creator
of
the
universe;
the
One
who
spoke
the
earth
into
existence;
and
the
One
who
formed
us
from
the
dust
of
the
ground...searches
hearts
to
find
those
who
will
love
Him
For
God
declared,
“I,
the
Lord,
search
the
heart,
I
test
the
mind.”
Jeremiah
17:10
For
He
looks
past
our
sins
because
He
is
more
interested
in
the
deepest
desires
of
our
heart,
and
because
He
will
forgive,
cleanse
and
heal
us of our sins by the Holy Spirit.
It
is
important
to
realize
that
our
perceptional
changes
towards
our
sin
is
because
of
the
workings
of
the
Holy
Spirit—and
not
by
our
own
efforts.
For
we
did
not
choose
Jesus,
for
He
declared,
“You
did
not
choose Me, but I chose you.”
John 15:16 Jesus also declared:
•
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Mat. 5:6
•
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10
•
“For
God
so
loved
the
world
that
He
gave
His
only
begotten
Son,
that
whoever
believes
in
Him
should
not
perish
but
have
everlasting
life.
For
God
did
not
send
His
Son
into
the
world
to
condemn
the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
John 3:16-17
•
“Behold,
I
stand
at
the
door
and
knock.
If
anyone
hears
My
voice
and
opens
the
door,
I
will
come
in
to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
Revelation 3:20
Jesus
lived
and
died
a
sacrificial
death
so
that
we
can
be
forgiven
for
our
sins—past,
present,
future,
and
for
eternity.
Believe
in
what
Jesus
did
for
us
on
the
cross;
extend
your
faith
in
Him;
place
your
trust
in
Him;
and
give
your
life
to
Him
by
making the following prayer with a humble and contrite heart:
Holy
God,
I
am
a
sinner.
Jesus,
I
believe
you
died
and
paid
the
price
for
who
I
am
and
what
I
have
done.
I
want
to
trust
and
follow
you
as
my
Savior
and
Lord.
Holy
Spirit,
I
invite
you
to
come
into
my
heart
and
life
and
change
me
from
within.
Thank
you,
Jesus,
for
providing
a
way
to
save
my
soul
and
restore
my
relationship with God.
Those
who
experience
the
filling
of
their
spiritual
hole
by
their
faith
in
Jesus
Christ
will
joyfully
declare
from
the
deepest
parts
of
their
heart
and
soul,
“Bless
the
Lord,
O
my
soul,
and
forget
not
all
His
benefits:
Who
forgives
all
your
iniquities,
Who
heals
all
your
diseases,
Who
redeems
your
life
from
destruction,
Who
crowns
you
with
lovingkindness
and
tender
mercies,
Who
satisfies
your
mouth
with
good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Psalm 103:2-5. . .
I
pray
this
lesson
has
touched
your
innermost
being—which
aligns
with
Paul’s
desire
that
he
expressed
to
the
Ephesians.
“For
this
reason
I
bow
my
knees
to
the
Father
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ,
from
whom
the
whole
family
in
heaven
and
earth
is
named,
that
He
would
grant
you,
according
to
the
riches
of
His
glory,
to
be
strengthened
with
might
through
His
Spirit
in
the
inner
man,
that
Christ
may
dwell
in
your
hearts
through
faith;
that
you,
being
rooted
and
grounded
in
love,
may
be
able
to
comprehend
with
all
the
saints
what
is
the
width
and
length
and
depth
and
height—to
know
the
love
of
Christ
which
passes
knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:14-19
If
you
accepted
Jesus
as
your
Savior
and
Lord—to
gain
greater
understanding
of
your
new
spiritual
journey
in
life—I
suggest
reading
“4
Types
of
Death
and
1
source
of
Life,”
followed
by
“What
is
a
Born-
Again
Christian?”
on
UniqueBibleStudies.com.
Plus,
it
is
important
to
read
the
Bible.
I
use
(
Bible
Gateway.com
),
which
offers
the
Bible
for
free
online
in
different
versions
and
languages.
In
addition,
it
is also important to get connected with other Christians for fellowship, worship and Bible study.
May God richly bless you.
All for His Glory,
Harold D. Thomas
Bible Study Thought-Provoking Questions
The
purpose
of
the
questions
is
to
facilitate
a
deeper
understanding
of
the
Bible,
this
Bible
study
topic,
and
ourselves.
The
questions
may
be
answered
by
each
reader,
or
used
by
a
Bible
study
group
leader,
or
church
pastor.
The
questions
should
be
answered
or
discussed
after
reading
“Are
You
Missing
A
Piece
of
the
Puzzle.”
In
addition,
the
questions
are
designed
to
enhance
learning
via
the
determination
of
personal
opinions
and/or
discovering
how
the
lesson
content
relates
to
our
personal
lives.
As
such,
no answers are provided.
Questions
The lesson states we have a spiritual void within us.
•
How would you describe this void?
•
What are indicators of the void’s existence?
The
lesson
explains
how
sin
is
used
as
an
attempt
to
fill
the
spiritual
void
within
us.
Can
you
identify
examples?
The
lesson
states
that
Satan
uses
an
assortment
of
delusional
lies
that
promotes
sin
as
a
means
to
fill
the emptiness within.
•
Can you identify examples of his tactics?
•
How does someone rationalize their acceptance of sin? Is this also a lie?
How would you describe the heart and soul of someone who hungers and thirsts for righteousness?
Explain each spiritual allegory Jesus declared in Revelation 3:20:
What would cause someone to bless, praise, worship, and love God?
•
Is this a normal experience for humans?
•
What has changed?
Can you identify new truths you have learned from this lesson? Explain.
You may do
wnload a PDF version of the questions by clicking on this button.
The words of Jesus Christ are in
red text.
This lesson is available as a YouTube video.
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Quiz questions are at the bottom of this page.