Review of Week 22:

EMPOWERED: Obey. One accord. Christ glorified. Power from on high to accomplish what Jesus said was written and necessary?

PURPOSE: The resurrection Life of Jesus answers questions we didn’t even know how to ask. His life in us accomplishes what following Him doesn’t, what talking with each other about His words won’t.

ACCESS or ACTION: Access to God is provided in none other than Jesus Christ. When the redemptive work of Christ is accomplished in our lives, when we are one with Him, we go beyond access to action to accomplish the Father’s purposes.

BUTS: Following Jesus does not allow ‘Yes buts’. Faith moves us beyond the place where common sense prevents progress.

FIRST: God, who needs nothing, has chosen to need you. Trust Him and put His will and His Son first.

GOD KNOWS: We must take comfort in the fact that God Knows. We must be willing to work with Him in every situation.

FEAR: Who is teachable in God’s ways? Who will end up working WITH Him? “...the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose...” (Psa.25:12). In fact, the secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him.

June 3 - KNOW - Posture to Please.

Psalms 25:12-14 “...Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. His soul will abide in prosperity, And his descendants will inherit the land. The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant...”

Does God know everything about you?

Does God know anything you don’t? How can you learn His secrets?

Proverbs 1:5 “...A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,...”

Proverbs 1:7 “...The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction...”

Why is ‘The fear of the Lord’ the starting point? [God created us and the time/space dimension in which we live. He is the truth. If we don’t have an awe for Him, a healthy fear and reverence, we don’t assume the posture for Him to share with us.]

What is intimacy? In - to - me - He - sees

How do people get to the point of knowing what another person is thinking, without saying a word? [time, sharing]

Do Christians know more about God’s likes or dislikes? [abomination list is easier to create than pleasure list]

Isaiah 42:21 “...The Lord was pleased for His righteousness' sake To make the law great and glorious...”

Isaiah 66:2 “...For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being," declares the Lord. "But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word...”

Matthew 3:17 “...and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased..." [baptism]

Matthew 17:5 “...While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!..." [transfiguration]

Matthew 25:21 “...His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master...” [parable of Talents]

1 Corinthians 1:21 “...For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe...”

Hebrews 13:16 “...And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased...”

June 4 - ASSURANCE - God is close and He cares.

Heb.13:5 ”...He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,"

Oswald uses this PORTION of scripture as a means to assure the people of God.

- we need assurance in both good times and bad times.

- Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine, Oh what a foretaste, of glory divine.

Is this assurance about position (closeness of God) and/or relationship (care of God)?

- do our feelings give us an accurate measure of our position and relationship?

How can God be close to and care for billions of people?

Old Testament references:

Deut.31:6 “...Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you..."

- Moses explaining to the Israelites how they were going to enter the promised land.

- Any danger of God failing them or forsaking them? [they did the forsaking]

Josh.1:5 “...No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you...”

- God assuring Joshua, who was to lead the Israelites into the land.

- Any danger of God failing Joshua?

To what is God calling us? Will He fail us?

- Take possession of your souls.

- Go ye therefore.

- Even greater things.

But we need to read the whole passage:

Heb.13:5,6 ”...Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," so that we confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?..."

What does the first part add to our understanding?

- what is the love of money, and how does it affect our assurance?

- how do misdirected loyalties affect life outcomes?

-13:1-4 also instructs to love the brethren, show hospitality to strangers, remember prisoners, honor marriage and keep the marriage bed undefiled.

Do we have a part in Blessed Assurance?

Is ‘I will never leave you’ a promise or a threat?

June 5 - UNAFRAID - Perfect agape casts out fear (1 John 4:18).

Heb.13:5,6 ”...He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," so that we confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?..."

Which is worse, worry or fear? Do they have the same effect in a person’s life?

- focus on a potential or probable bad result?

- erosion of hope?

Psalms 56:11 “...In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?...”

Psalms 118:6 “...The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?...”

When do you need courage? [when the world and circumstances press in - always]

What difference does it make to remind yourself that the Lord is your helper?

How can knowing God’s word give you boldness? [2 Pet.1:4 devotional - the great and precious promises allow us to escape the corruption in the world and partake of the divine nature]

2 Timothy 2:15 ”...Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth...”

We can’t use the word to support our agendas. We can live boldly because of His revelation to us.

June 6 - WORK OUT - Salvation isn’t owned, it’s worked out.

Phil.2:12,13 ”...So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure...”

Body: senses / Soul: emotion, intellect, will / Spirit: conscience

What is conscience? [Right/wrong meter. Co-perception]

What is will? [What you want]

What does one’s life look like when their will is directed by the body? [yielding to the basest, animal like life - addictions. I want to see it, touch it, taste it]

What does one’s life look like when their will is directed by the soul? [if it feels good, or if it’s common sense, it must be okay - carnality]

What does one’s life look like when their will is directed by the spirit? [a good, clean conscience leads to cooperation with God’s expectations and intentions]

From where does unhealthy worry and fear come? [body or soul led life]

From where does healthy fear come? [Spirit led life]

Why do we have to ‘work out’ what God ‘works in’?

O.C. says sin is a perverse disposition which entered into man. It works against the Father’s will. It also works against your will!

Romans 7:14-15 “...For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate...”

Not ownership, but action.

Choices, choices, choices! Choose God. Choose His way. Choose His truth. Choose His life

Stubbornness is a solid wall of resistance to allowing God to direct our will. How can it be eliminated? [dunamis - Holy Ghost dynamite]

June 7 - ABIDE - Live with Him and you ARE God’s will.

John 14:12-16 “...Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;..”

How is our will affected by where we live? [cultural pressures]

How is our will affected by living with someone? [more aware of them and their preferences]

What does it mean to abide in Christ? [to reside with Him, to live with Him]

What is the core meaning of this scripture?

- not that we can obtain whatever we selfishly desire!

- when we believe in Jesus, and become one with God and His intentions, we become instruments that speak His will into existence and bring Him glory.

- we are the will of God.

What does it mean to fritter money away? Why does it happen?

- It’s gone, and nothing of substance was obtained.

- No discipline. No perspective. No working toward a larger goal.

- Conscience and Will overridden by body and/or soul.

How can a spiritual life be frittered away?

- Gone, and nothing of substance in return.

- No discipline. No perspective. No working toward a larger goal.

- Conscience and Will overridden by body and/or soul.

What is the driving influence of our lives? What is the center that ultimately affects everything else?

June 8 - SET SAIL - Pull up your anchor.

John 13:17 ”...If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them...”

Context: Jesus washed the disciples feet, giving them an example, ‘that you should do as I have done to you! A servant is not greater than his master.

Do we KNOW more than we DO?

Is doing like going out to sea, and not doing like staying docked in the harbor?

Does a boat in the harbor cease to be a boat? [It just doesn’t accomplish that for which it was built]

What good are Christians who don’t do what they know? Do they cease to be Christians? [They just doesn’t accomplish that for which they were built]

When does the blessing come? [Not with the knowing, but with the doing]

Are we built for the sea or the harbor?

- the harbor is a place to prepare for the sea.

- the harbor is a place for repairs.

- a boat is built for the sea.

Have we been to sea and found it a place of worry and fear?

Have we refused the call to sail? What happens when we don’t answer the call?

- we set up an alternative value system revolving around our current port.

What are the risks of obedience? [loss of control, events, and destination]

June 9 - ASK - Ask for what is needed to serve others.

Luke 11:10 ”...For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened...”

O.C. Says ‘The Holy Spirit is the One who makes real for you all that Jesus did for you.’ What do you think this means? Has all that Jesus accomplished on your behalf been made real in your life? What role does asking have in the process?

When this scripture is taken out of context, how does it get used?

- I want something, I ask, I get.

What is the context?

- Jesus says ‘so I say to you, ask’, which is a “therefore” kind of statement.

- We should always find out what a therefore is there for.

Prior to the “so I say to you”

- He described how to pray ‘Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’

- He told of one with a need, going to his friend and asking for help.

What kind of need? [He needed to serve another]

We are to be asking for the kingdom to come, and for that which is necessary to serve others.

Does God want you to have what you want? [sometimes]

Will God give you something you’ll regret? [quail in wilderness]

Why does O.C. Insist that we must ask from our poverty, that we must beg?

- The Holy Spirit must guide us to the truth of our need.

- We must embrace that truth.

- We must ask, and we will receive.