Review of Week 16:

 

BLAMELESS: Are we meticulous about keeping our spiritual house clean? Are there things in our lives that we think don’t matter much, but God has a different view?

BELIEF: To bring the commonplace life up to the standard revealed in the “high hour”, we must pay careful attention while in the light and then rely on what we knew to be true.

BEELINE: Peter plunged when He saw Jesus. We can’t afford to do anything less. We can’t be so calculating

BE READY: We must allow the Lord to get our attention, we must turn aside, we must respond, in both the big and little things.

BE LOYAL: Passing the big test insures nothing. We must remain alert and loyal. We must receive wisdom from God, always.

BE ACTIVE: God knows our capabilities. Our spiritual capacity is not dependent on our natural ability, it is dependent on God in Christ Jesus.

BE SIMPLE: God wants to manifest Himself in us. We err by looking for Him to manifest Himself to us. Choose life, not lifestyle.

Apr 22 - UNVEILED

2 Cor.3:18 ”...But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit...”

Context: The skin of Moses face was shining after talking to God (Ex.34:29). He put a veil over his face so they wouldn’t see it fading (2 Cor.3:13). It still exists for those under the Old Covenant (2 Cor.3:14,15), but turning to the Lord removes it (2 Cor.3:16).

Is veil removal a good or bad thing? What should it accomplish?

Have you ever been disappointed by a fellow believer faltering? A fellow believer falling flat on their face?

Can we rely on others? [yes and no]

Will others disappoint us? [death, choices, etc.]

What does the Lord teach us through these times? Where must our faith rest?

Who must validate or invalidate our life? [God alone]

We are required to stay true - whether all alone, or with a great cloud of witnesses.

Can we stand before Him? Do we stand before Him? Will we stand before Him?

What happens when we stand before Him? [transformed into the same image].

Apr 23 - WORSHIP AND WORK

1 Cor. 3:9 “...For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building...”

Context: Paul explaining the foolishness of elevating one of God’s servants over another.

Think of someone you respect highly, someone you trust, someone you love, someone you’d rather be with than anyone else on earth.

Is it difficult to work with them?

Can even unpleasant jobs be enjoyable when working alongside them?

Think of someone you don’t respect, don’t trust, and don’t easily love.

Is it difficult to work with them?

Can even normally pleasant jobs be difficult when working alongside them?

Do you always get to choose your co-laborers?

Our worship is to be for God alone. Our eyes must fix on Him.

Our call is to do good works. Eph. 2:10 “...For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them...”

How can focusing on co-workers lead to trouble?

- loss of proper relationship with the Father.

- loss of freedom and delight.

- burnout and depression.

How can worshiping the work lead to trouble?

- loss of proper relationship with the Father.

- loss of freedom and delight.

- burnout and depression.

How does proper worship increase our capacity for good works?

- we’re not in charge.

- we’re not responsible for running the world.

- we’re free to be co-workers with the One who has all the resources and understanding.

What is our supreme goal?

Col. 1:10 “...will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;...”

Apr 24 - SUCCESS

Luke 10:19,20 "...Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven..."

Dangers in life:

1. Sin - all are born here (to be enslaved by sin).

2. Success in the World - all are pressured to conform to the prevailing culture (to be accepted by the world).

3. Success in Religion - those pressured to turn form the world at large to the prevailing religious culture (to be accepted by religion).

How can spiritual success be a perversion of God’s intentions?

- pride in what we know.

- pride in what we’ve done, or are doing.

- both cause an improper elevation of self worth relative to others, which decreases our capacity to function properly.

James 4:6 “...God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble..." If God opposes you, will you be successful?

O.C. says “One life totally devoted to God is of more value to Him than one hundred lives which have been simply awakened by His Spirit”.

The world is not as it should be. It’s full of snares, of entrapments. When the Lord delivered Israel from bondage and into the promised land - he warned them that the gods of the people would surely be a snare. Prov.18:7 says a fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to himself. Prov 22:25 befriending one with an angry disposition entangles you in a snare. Prov 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare. Luke 21:34 carousing, drunkenness, cares of this life will trap you. 1 Tim.3:7 without a good testimony to those outside the church - one falls into “the snare of the devil”

O.C. points out that the really devious snare is “taking the pattern and print of the religious age we live in”, “making eyes at spiritual success”, rejoicing in the one thing Jesus told us not to rejoice in - spiritual success.

Dictators say “you must”. Jesus says “If you”. What is the difference?

What is the natural response to a dictator? [desire to flee]

Do people see dictator or Jesus when they see us?

Apr 25 - EMPLOYABLE

2 Tim.4:2-5 “...preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry...”

Is the unemployment rate in America only a function of available jobs? [employers say that the decreasing abilities and poor attitudes of applicants has created an increasing number of unemployable people]

Why is the harvest plentiful but the laborers few? Luke 10:2 “...And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest...”

Too many spiritually unemployed? Unemployable?

When is it easy to work in the fields? When is it difficult? When is it appropriate?

What is your understanding of “in season” and “out of season”?

Do good farmers and good athletes cease to work in the “off season”?

Do we only labor for the kingdom during times of great inspiration?

What motivates us to do what we do? [what we feel like doing? what we think everybody expects us to do?]

People who don’t know how to focus on anything but their own needs don’t make good employees. Are we good workers even when we think the boss isn’t watching?

Apr 26 - CONVICTIONS

Gen.22:2 “...He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you..."

What dilemma did God create for Abraham?

- cling to the promise or cling to God.

- follow principles or follow God.

Do we understand the ways of God? Do we adhere to any misconceptions?

Do we have convictions that need adjusting?

Do we have convictions that are “right on” that will keep us from obeying God?

How can convictions replace the Living God in a person’s life?

Can God call us to something inconsistent with our current belief system? [there’s difference between being devoted to God and being devoted to our convictions]

Is hearing a clear word from God sufficient to direct a person’s life? [we can’t hold to a past word so tightly that we fail to hear God speaking today]

Abraham embraced God’s initial promise. Abraham embraced God’s command to sacrifice the promise. Abraham embraced God’s substitutionary ram.

What does God want from us? Genesis 22:12 “...He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me..."

Apr 27 - SEEK HIM

Jer.45:5 “...But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,' declares the Lord,... "

Why does God “tear down” what He has built and “uproot” what He has planted? [God is not pleased when He doesn’t get the results He desires]

What does God desire from His people? [relationship, obedience, love, worship, good works, etc.]

Is it difficult to get into a right relationship with God?

Do we want a life with God, or do we just want a blessed life?

Do we seek Him or do we seek what He can give us?

What does it mean to become a Christian “on your own terms”?

Are we looking for what the “dream job” will give us, or for what we can give to the “dream boss”?

O.C. says it gets difficult when it isn’t God we want, but what He gives. Then it becomes a confusing struggle. Likewise it becomes a struggle when we think we have to perform for Him.

When we truly draw near to God, we cease asking. Listening becomes far more beneficial. Are we as good at listening as we are at asking?

Apr 28 - RECEIVE LIFE

Jer.45:5 “...But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,' declares the Lord, 'but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go.' ..."

What do you consider to be important?

What do you think you can’t live without?

Colossians 3:1-4 “...Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory...”

When adversity comes - what do you want to have on the other side?

God promises to give you your life! Is that enough for you?

There was a phrase that was popular when my kids were growing up - “I don’t have a life”.

They didn’t, of course, realize what they were saying. They wanted certain things, certain activities, certain blessings. They hadn’t yet found God’s truth - they had their life, and it was a prize from God.

True life with God is a surprise and a delight.

O.C. says if you don’t have it you’re either disobedient or refusing to be simple enough.