Review of Week 20:

CONSCIENCE: Steadily facing God allows our conscience to be introduced to God’s perfection. We need to have a good, clean conscience.

ADVERSITY: We are hard pressed yet not crushed, perplexed but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed. We carry a great treasure in earthen vessels.

VITALITY: We need to know the hope of His calling, the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe.

PARTAKERS: His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us. We are partakers of the divine nature through His exceedingly great and precious promises. We can escape the corruption that is in the world.

JESUS: Jesus ascended - He was carried up to heaven, having lived a normal life, having done His Father’s will. He is the example and the way of access.

KISS: We are a created people. He is the creator. Life is as simple as looking to Him and having His life form in us. Keep It Simple Soldier.

INTEGRATION: How do we rise out of the wreck that life dishes us? By His love, which cannot be severed from us.

May 20 - ESSENCE

Luke 21:16-19 ”...But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all because of My name. "Yet not a hair of your head will perish. "By your endurance you will gain your lives...” (KJV translates as “posses your souls”)

Psuche (psoo-khay) - the soul, as distinguished from the body. The seat of affections, will, desire, emotion, mind, reason, and understanding. The inner self or essence of life

When God told the Israelites to take possession of the promised Land, what was He telling them?

1. The Land was theirs

2. They had to kick out the intruders

3. They had a part in making it what God promised

When Jesus, in Luke v.19, said “you will gain your lives” (“possess your souls”), what do you suppose He meant?

1. Your affections, will, desire, emotion, mind, reason, understanding are yours

2. You need to kick out the intruders - illegal affections, will, desires, emotions, mindset, reasoning

3. You have a part in making it happen.

Beginning, Middle, and End.

A non-Christian is born, lives a number of years on this planet, then dies.

A Christian is born, is born again, lives a number of years on this planet, then dies.

Both are resurrected, judged, and end with an eternal existence.

Acts 24:15 “...having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked...”

Daniel 12:2 “...Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt...”

Romans 14:10 “... For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God...”

All have the same beginning. All eventually end up before the judgment seat of God. The question is “What will a person do in the middle”?

What does it mean for Christ to be “formed in us”?

What prevents this from happening? [lack of knowledge, lack of discipline, lack of focus]

What controls us?

May 21 - KINGDOM

Matt.6:33 “...But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you...”

The BUT means something has already been said. In this case its the don’t worry (don’t be anxious) verses that describe God’s provision for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.

What are some things that people seek?

Security, Prosperity, Comfort, Value (belonging), Health, etc.

Is it wrong to seek these things?

- the scripture doesn’t say these things have no value.

- they shouldn’t be priority 1.

- they shouldn’t cause anxiety.

Christians regularly hear the “don’t be anxious” and “all these things will be added”. The part that isn’t heard enough, or understood very well, is “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.”

What does it mean to seek the kingdom?

Matt.4:17 “...From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand..."

Matt.6:10 “...Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven...”

Matt.13:11 “...Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted...”

Matt.13:44-46 “...The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it...”

It’s not enough to know a little about the kingdom.

Our part is to seek and find our place in it on a daily basis.

Isaiah 9:7 ”...There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this...”

2 Peter 1:11 “...for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you...”

Rev.11:15 “...Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever..."

May 22 - ONE

John 17:21 “...that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me...”

John 17 is the great prayer of Jesus - for himself, for His disciples, and for all believers.

Is it possible to be an independent Christian? Is independence a good goal? Is independence a goal of yours?

What is the relationship between Father and Son? Did Jesus ever act independently?

What is Jesus prayer for believers? [that they may be one in Us].

What does it mean to be one in the Father and the Son? What is lost in the process? [independence]

Is God concerned about our plans? [actually He’s really concerned when the run contrary to His]

What are our choices when our purposes are thwarted? [try harder, get upset, adjust]

Is it easier to say “Thy will be done” or to embrace His will and purposes?

What is the result of becoming one? [the world will believe that the Father sent the Son]

What happens if there is independence instead of oneness? [the world doesn’t believe]

Does our world believe? What is a big part of the problem? [our lack of oneness]

What causes a person to become small-minded and cynical? [focus on a small, personal, independent life]

May 23 - WORRY

Matt 6:25 ”...For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...”

Do you ever worry? Do you consider worry to be a sin? Unfaithfulness?

What causes worry?

- uncertainty of outcome.

- concern that outcomes may not match your preferences.

What is worry really saying?

- God’s not big enough, He doesn’t care enough, or He isn’t Lord in that area.

- We’re in charge, but not in control, and something bad might happen.

Rom. 8:28 “...And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose...”

What is God’s part and what is our part?

Does God’s sovereignty trump our unbelief and disobedience.

May 24 - FALL

Rev. 1:17 ”...When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,...”

Who was ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’ from John 19:26, that was given the responsibility to care for Mary the mother of Jesus as Jesus hung on the cross? [John]

Who was the third disciple, along with Peter and James, who was led up to witness the transfiguration of Jesus - when His face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as the light? [John]

Why then, did John fall as though dead at the revelation of Jesus Christ! [he came face to face with the overpowering majesty of the glorified Christ]

How well do we know Jesus? Is it probable that our image of Christ fall’s short of reality?

Jesus emptied Himself of His glory (Phil.2:6-11) to enter our world, and He was even then the absolute best human that ever lived.

He was resurrected to glory and His second coming will not be comparable to His first coming.

Are we too casual about Jesus? Is falling down a good thing? Should we despair about our unworthy state?

James 4:10 “...Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you...”

1 John 3:2 “...Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is...”

May 25 - SURRENDER

Gen 13:9 ”...Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left..."

Context: Abram and his nephew Lot, faced a problem. The land wasn’t big enough to support the two of them. They had to part ways. The choice had to be made. Who gets what. Abram had been promised a good land by the Lord. He let Lot choose.

Was this smart? What would you have done?

If you waive your rights, will you be sorry?

If you make room for others to have their preferences, will you be sorry?

Why is AFO (acting for others) a better policy than AFS (acting for self)? [it’s the definition of agape, which is God’s nature. AAS (acting against self) instead of AAO (acting against others), takes us from the natural to the holy.

Do you have worldly rights? Are you willing to step beyond your rights into kingdom living? Explain the difference between Lot’s results and Abram’s.

May 26 - UNCEASING PRAYER

1 Thess.5:13-22 “...and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

Context: A Christian Conduct list, of which “pray without ceasing” is just one aspect.

How does our limited understanding of prayer make “pray without ceasing” seem impossible? [We think of prayer as - close your eyes, bow your head, and say appropriate words to God, which isn’t something practical or possible to do without ceasing throughout a lifetime on earth]

Involuntary actions do not require your reasoning ability and active choice: breathing, heart pumping, etc.

Voluntary actions require your choice: coming to Sunday School, not coming to Sunday School, reading your Bible, not reading your Bible, etc.

Is it possible for something to occur without ceasing if its voluntary? If breathing was voluntary instead of involuntary, how long would you live?

Is it unrealistic for Paul to tell the Thessalonians to “be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances”? Are these just empty words? [“For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”]

Is the issue, like yesterdays devotional, one of transforming the natural into the spiritual? The natural thinks, calculates, contemplates, tries. The spiritual IS. Just as the heart beats without thinking because it is a heart, and only stops if it is dead, so the spirit is joyful, prayerful, thankful, and only ceases if it is dead!

You can’t pray without ceasing if you’re not spiritually alive, and to try in the natural is an impossibility.

What is “being one” with God?

What is abiding? John 15:7 “...If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you...”

Can a person have unceasing interaction with God?

Does everything you think and do originate from a good clean conscience? Is your co-perception of kingdom rights and wrongs giving you a “without ceasing” communion with God?