Review of Week 24:

SEEK: Take the proper steps and kingdom life opens up before you.

REST: The solution for unrest is “coming to Jesus”.

STAY: Stay with Christ and you will be transformed.

FOLLOW: Will we give up our natural affinities to follow the Master?

ABIDE: Abiding leads to transformation, obedience of thoughts, and correct thoughts.

CHARACTER: It takes diligence to build good character.

LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE: Save your life and lose it. Lose your life and save it. You must choose.

June 17 - JUDGE NOT

Matt.7:1-5 "...Do not judge so that you will not be judged. "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye...”

Jesus had one word He used in reference to judging another - NOT (quite contemporary don’t you think)

What does a judge do? [passes final sentence, either clearing or convicting.]

Who is the judge?

Hebrews 12:23 “...to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,...”

2 Timothy 4:1 “...I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom...”

What happens when we judge? [we come under the same judgment.]

What is criticism? Is it the same as conviction? [NO] Does criticism come naturally for Christians? For you?

What’s the difference between a play-by-play announcer and a participant in the game?

Which is easier, criticizing from the booth or playing the game? [The Holy Spirit comes alongside. He doesn’t criticize from the booth.]

If the Holy Spirit would work through you on behalf of another, how do you think He would do it? [By coming alongside.]

Explain the speck and plank from Matt.7:3

What does Matt.7:5 say?

- We are expected to help our brother.

- God doesn’t say do nothing. He says get fixed, then come alongside one another.

• Just don’t do what? JUDGE NOT

June 18 - LOOK TO JESUS

Matt 14:29-30 “...And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!..."

What were the conditions before Peter walked on the water toward Jesus?

- Matt.14:24 “...But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary...”

Why did Peter ask Jesus to command Him to come on the water?

- Peter saw His Lord involved in activity that was beyond the natural.

- He wanted to be involved if His Lord wanted it so.

Did Jesus want Peter involved in activity beyond the natural? Does Jesus want you involved in activity beyond the natural?

What changed that caused Peter to sink?

- It wasn’t circumstances. They were rough to begin with, and continued to be rough as Peter walked on the water with Jesus.

- It was focus that changed.

What causes the life giving word to be choked out of a believer (from parable of sower)?

- cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches.

God’s Word comes to us in all circumstances. We can’t wait until things calm down to act on His Word. We can’t lose focus when circumstances don’t get better as we act on His Word.

Jesus bids us to come unto Him.

Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance on Him.

June 19 - TEND

John 21:16 “...He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep..."

What are sheep like? [Dumb. Vulnerable. Prone to going astray. Helpless.]

Which sheep does a shepherd care for? [All that are his, especially the one that is the most prone to going astray.]

Jesus tied Peter’s love for Him to the service of caring for His people.

Can a sheep decide to be a shepherd?

If a sheep tried to be a shepherd, would the flock be safe?

What, from this section in John, qualifies one to be a shepherd?

- LOVING Jesus.

- HEEDING His call.

- CARING for people.

What does it mean to substitute doctrinal belief for personal belief? [devotion narrowed to creeds and causes, which falls short of devotion to Christ.]

Why does devotion to the cause of humanity lead to exhaustion and faltering love?

If we love Christ and are passionately devoted to Him, we will get beyond self and tend to God’s business, no matter how we’re treated.

June 20 - OTHERS

Job 42:10 “...The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold...”

Others, Lord, yes others. Let this my motto be. Help me to live for others, that I might live like Thee.

When did Job’s blessing come? [When he prayed for his friends]

Why did Job pray for his friends? [God told him to pray for them]

When does your blessing come? [It’s not because of what you know, but what you do]

What should you be doing?

- Whatever God tells you to do.

- Self interests pervert the will of the Father.

- We can’t bargain with God.

- We must submit to His authority, to His means of salvation, to the circumstances ordained for us, and to the call to pray for others.

The one small step for man, the one giant step for mankind, isn’t a step on the moon, it’s the step from self-centered to others-centered.

Where is our focus today?

June 21 - PROCLAIM

1 Pet.2:9 ”...But you are a chosen race, A royal priesthood, A holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;...”

Context:

1 Peter 2:6,7 “...For this is contained in Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed." This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,..."

1 Peter 2:8 “...and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed...”

Who is Peter talking about here? [Paul was addressing the pilgrims of the dispersion, born again people, Christians living in Asia Minor who were suffering rejection in the world because of their obedience to Christ.]

Are you a part of the royal priesthood, His own special people?

Why does God have chosen race, a royal priesthood? [to proclaim His excellencies]

How does self evaluation and introspection create a self-centered morbid type of Christianity? How can it be avoided?

Do we spend more time discussing and evaluating darkness than we spend living in His marvelous light?

If we have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light, we will be proclaiming His excellencies!

June 22 - MERCY

Matt. 7:2 "...For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you...”

Are we the creators of the world within which we live?

If I don’t think I’m in control, but the future rests on my shoulders, what will my future look like?

If I think and act like I’m in control, but I’m not, how will the one in control respond?

If I never ask these kinds of questions, and never find answers - does it matter?

Highlights of the life of King Nebuchadnezzar from the book of Daniel.

Daniel 1:2 “...The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand...”

Daniel 4:22 “...it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth...”

Daniel 4:25 “...that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes...”

Daniel 4:28 “...All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king...”

Daniel 4:34 “...But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation...”

The Lord gave Nebuchadnezzar power, and he became great, but failed to acknowledge his position under God. Circumstances changed until he finally accepted the fact the God’s kingdom endures forever.

If Matt.7:2 is true, does ignorance of the truth make it any less true? Does ignorance of any of God’s truth make it less true?

What do you need, what do you want, when you come before God, carrying all the baggage of your sin and shortcomings? [Mercy and Grace]

What do your fellow humans need? [Mercy and Grace]

What do you extend to people?

What will God extend to you, according to Matt.7:2? [What you extend to others]

June 23 - SIN

Isa.53:3 “...He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him...”

One of the first books I read as a new Christian was Peace with God by Billy Graham.

I recall that he had a list of things that people through time have used to try to find peace and contentment. And all of them fail.

I was reminded of the book by O.C. saying men try to control instincts and educate themselves into the life of God.

Why are our good intentions doomed to fail?

- we always run into a wild, irrational problem.

- we must face the problem of SIN.

- sin doesn’t submit to our good intentions. It doesn’t listen to our logic.

- sin is “red-handed mutiny against God”.

How can we escape the corruption that is in the world?

- 2 Peter 1:4 “...For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust...”

- His precious and magnificent promises lead to partaking of the divine nature.

Can we think our way clear of sin?

- It can’t be managed, and Jesus knew it.

- Galatians 2:20 ”...I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me...”

- Galatians 5:24 “...Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires...”

- It must be crucified.

What was the instruction to the lukewarm Laodicean church in Revelation.

- Rev. 3:15-16 “...'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth...”

- Rev 3:19 “...'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent...”

Why did Jesus come?

- To reconcile man to God.

- To pay the price for sin.

- To make a way for Peace with God.

- He was despised and rejected ...a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Sin cause grief.

- Jesus was intimate with the grief.

Don’t be casual about sin! Jesus faced it. We must readily repent and allow the cleansing to occur. This is the purpose of God in our lives for which Jesus came.