Review of Week 29:

OBLIGATED: Like Paul, we should feel obligated to Christ for every soul and responsible to live our life for others.

CONTROL: We should keep our minds filled with the notion of God’s control behind everything.

POWER OF GOD: Our faith should not rest on man’s wisdom, but on the power of God.

MIRACULOUS: Our out-of-focus focus is quickly refocused by the miraculous.

OBEDIENCE: Our level of obedience is a direct reflection of our level of maturity.

WAIT: We get what we need by waiting on the Lord.

KINGDOM BLESSINGS: The blessings of the Kingdom aren’t found by everyone.

July 22 - DEATH

1 Thess.4:3-8 “.. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you...”

What does sanctification mean, and how does it affect you?

Webster definitions: 1. To cleanse, purify, or make holy. 2. To set apart. 3. To purify, to prepare for divine service. 4. To separate. 5. To cleanse from corruption.

When does the process of sanctification start? [the moment a person is born again]

What does the process of sanctification require? [death of self]

Why is sanctification a “battle royal”?

- we want what we want.

- we’re accustomed to what we are.

- the demands of Jesus insist upon the death of our old identity and focus.

Consider a poorly managed restaurant: Dingy run down building. Lazy, discourteous servers. Food from the cheapest sources, prepared in a dirty, fly filled kitchen.

When new management takes over, what needs to happen? [The things that were previously identified as being the restaurant, have to go]

Luke 9:23,24 “...If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it....”

The death side of sanctification means something has to go. Is there a part of us that tugs with resentment against the demands of Christ. [It’s a good day to die to self]

July 23 - LIFE

1 Cor.1:30 “...But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption...”

Closing the restaurant to tear down the old building isn’t all there is to the story. Removing all the poor buying policies, and inappropriate behavior is only the death side. What’s the life side? [infusing with that which is right and appropriate].

What follows the death side of sanctification? What replaces the old self? [infusion of the life of Jesus]

What does the life of Jesus look like? 1 Cor.13:4-8 “...Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails;...”

Can a person imitate the life of Jesus?

- people attempt to imitate holy living.

- people have very little success being consistent or persistent in these endeavors.

What is the difference between imitation and impartation?

- imitation is trying to act the part.

- impartation is the actual manifestation of the life of Jesus in mortal flesh.

What is our part? What is God’s part?

The absolute best copy is still a copy.

The world needs the real thing.

July 24 - RIGHTEOUS

Mat.5:20 “...For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven...”

The scribes and Pharisees were the best in the current world at doing righteousness. These were the people who devoted their lives to the writings from God. They took seriously what was written. They worked hard at being righteous.

Why isn’t the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees enough?

There are a large variety of religious systems, each with people attempting to live righteously. What does this scripture say to them? [if their righteousness doesn’t exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, they will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven]

How does one attain to a righteousness that exceeds the scribes and the Pharisees?

- Sanctifying death of self.

- Sanctifying impartation of life of Jesus Christ.

What is altered in the death and rebirth process?

- old self DNA is replaced with God’s DNA

How does regeneration differ from education?

- New makeup, new motives.

- Not retraining of flesh, but rather death and replacement

Can our DNA lead to right living, right motives, right dreams? Will our DNA lead to a purity which leaves nothing for God to censure.

Can Jesus Christ put into a person His own disposition - his DNA?

The purity which God demands is impossible, unless we can be remade within.

July 25 - BLESSED

Mat.5:3-10 “...Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...”

The beatitudes are the opening salvo of the Sermon on the Mount.

Makarios - blessed - special joy and satisfaction.

How do the beatitudes compare to the ten commandments given in Exodus?

- Not a set of rules and regulations.

- More a state of being than goals.

Are the beatitudes consistent with “The American Dream”?

Does self effort lead to these blessings?

- the Holy Spirit takes us where self will not go.

- God blesses in unnatural ways in situations we wouldn’t naturally choose.

In the everyday life we live, in our normal routine, do we have special joys and satisfaction? Is this way of being, not doing, appearing in our lives more and more?

Is this DNA of the kingdom becoming who we are?

Are these commands that we must do?

Are we expected to be immediately and perfectly transformed into this state?

Does the Holy Spirit gradually work this into us as He has His way with us?

The blessings of God aren’t something we work to possess. They are poured out as we are poured out for Him.

July 26 - PURITY

Mat.15:19 “...For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders...”

What is the difference between ignorance and innocence?

- ignorance: clueless.

- innocence: blameless.

Which best describes the human condition?

How does ignorance promote a false sense of purity?

How does the devil exploit this? [deception keeps us from repentance]

Have we ever been shocked by evil coming out of another person’s heart? Out of ours?

Do we know our own heart? Is there evil and wrong in our hearts?

If you live in the south or the inner city, but haven’t seen a roach in your kitchen, does it mean you don’t have roaches? If your neighbors have never seen a roach in your kitchen, does it mean you don’t have roaches?

If you read the Bible every morning, pray, go to church, Sunday School, small group, listen to Christian Radio and train your kids to do the same thing, does it mean you’re pure?

Minimizing the opportunity for sin to express itself isn’t a bad thing, but it may deceive us into thinking our house is clean, when in fact we may have some huge roaches.

How can we identify and remove our roaches?

- we need to get beyond doing and appearing clean, to being clean.

- the master exterminator needs to have access to the whole house.

- the Holy Spirit was sent to convict of sin and lead into all truth.

- John 16:8 “...And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;...“

- John 16:13 "...But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come...”

- our cleansing follows our repentance.

- 1 John 1:9 “...If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness...”

-“...confess our sins ...”

The Sermon on the Mount is a challenge to trade walking by the flesh for walking by the Spirit.

When is this necessary? [every minute of every day]

July 27 - IN THE KNOW

John 7:17 “...If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself...”

What does it mean to be ‘in the know’?

Who knows...

What’s going on in technology today? [those that are interested in technology make it a point to know what’s going on]

What’s going on in the stock market today? [those that are interested in the market make it a point to know what’s going on]

What’s going on in Washington D.C.? [those that are interested in politics make it a point to know what’s going on]

What’s going on in their families? [those that are interested in their families make it a point to know what’s going on]

What’s going on in their church? [those that are interested in the church make it a point to know what’s going on]

Do we know what’s going on in our schools? Our community? Our church? Our denomination?

Do we know what’s going on in the kingdom?

For most things, intellectual curiosity and/or emotional commitment can lead us to being ‘in the know’. O.C. says that’s not the case with spiritual things.

2 Timothy 3:7 “...always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth...”

2 Timothy 2:25 “...perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,...”

Why were the educated and committed Pharisees unable to find their way into the truth that Jesus was living, teaching, and offering?

According to O.C., what is the Golden rule for being ‘in the know’ spiritually? [Obedience. Obedience leads to understanding]

Why doesn’t it work the other way?

What happens if I must understand before I obey?

- I’m not under authority

- I’m in control

- I live in my world, by my terms.

- I can’t get the bigger perspective.

- I’m Lord of my life.

July 28 - PURPOSE

Mark 6:45 “...Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away...”

What occurred prior to Jesus saying this? [The feeding of the 5000]

What occurred after He said this? [In the fourth watch (3-6am) He saw them straining at rowing and v.48 came walking on the water and would have passed them by.]

John 6:15 “...So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone...”

What occurred prior to this? [The feeding of the 5000]

What occurred after this? [They saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat.]

Is it possible that we also want to take Jesus by force and make Him King? [People, it seems, have always wanted a king to suit them]

If He had allowed Himself to be made King, what would His kingship have looked like? What did the people want?

If He would allow us to make Him king, what would His kingship look like? What do people want?

We’ve determined from the previous devotion that to be ‘in the know’ spiritually is to obey. Obedience comes first.

If Christ gets your ear, gives you instructions, and you obey, what then?

- A typical discussion with someone about why they should follow Jesus is characterized by what they’ll gain.

- you can avoid hell and gain heaven.

- you can live victoriously.

- you can prosper.

- The real reason for following Jesus is to live out His purposes.

- you might end up in a boat, in a storm, in the fourth watch.

- you might find yourself straining.

We don’t obey because we’ll get what we want. We obey because He is Lord of the Universe.

We don’t obey because we see the end. We obey because He’s our Lord today, storm or no storm.

Christ still walks on the storms of life. Will we focus on the chaos and not see Him walking? Will He pass us by?