Review of Week 51:
PRAYER WRESTLING: We are
called to wrestle against the forces that work against a proper
relationship with God.
COMPREHENSION: Without
the Spirit, we don’t comprehend, we don’t realize the serious of
situations, and don’t ask correctly.
WORKING FOR GOOD: If God
is working through us, He is working for good.
DIRECT CHALLENGE: The
Gospel properly presented will always directly challenge the life
we’re living.
STERNLY SURGICAL: The
Gospel properly presented will be probing, uncovering sin and
offering Christ as the only solution.
REALITY REVEALED: We
don’t understand reality unless we are led into it by the Holy
Spirit.
TRANSACT: When the Father
draws, a person must act across the space, even when it means
reaching beyond their understanding.
Dec. 23 - BOAST
Galatians 6:14 ”...But
may it never be that I would boast, except in
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the
world has been crucified to me, and I to the world...”
Context:
- there’s a problem
with sin.
- we’re supposed to
help each other.
- we reap what we sow,
either corruption from the flesh, or eternal life from the Spirit.
- we are to do good to
everyone, especially those who are of the household of faith.
- our boasting is in the
cross of Christ alone
What are we to do with
the problem of sin?
- accept the cross as
God’s verdict on sin.
- by an act of our will,
be crucified with Him.
What alternatives do we
try?
- wrestle with sin trying
to master it.
- give in to sin and call
it something else.
Do we, or don’t we,
want death to sin?
How can we know that our
old man has been crucified with Christ?
- by faith (we believe
the effectiveness of the cross).
- by changes in our
obedience.
Can sin still raise it’s
ugly head?
How can this be a
positive, rather than a negative?
- it reminds us of our
inability to save ourselves.
- it returns us to
submission and devotion.
Dec. 24 - SECURITY
Colossians 3:3 “...For
you have died and your life is hidden with Christ
in God...”
Context:
- by Christ all things
were created (1:16).
- in Christ all things
hold together (1:17).
- when we are reconciled
by His death we are presented holy and blameless (1:22).
- in Christ are all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge (2:3).
- Christ has disarmed and
triumphed over rulers and authorities (2:15).
- on what do we set our
minds?
How does our mindset
affect our sense of security?
When our minds are set on
earthly things, what affects our sense of security?
- the economy.
- the environment.
- people in leadership.
- people with different
values than ours.
When our minds are set on
the things above, what affects our sense of security?
- awareness of who made
this world.
- awareness of who holds
things together.
- awareness of our place
in His reality.
From where does our
stress come?
From where does our peace
come?
Is it more precarious to
try to live with God or without God?
How does our sense of
security or lack of security reveal where our minds have been set?
Dec. 25 - IMMANUEL
Isaiah 7:14 "...Therefore
the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with
child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel...”
Context:
- the world in which Ahaz
lived was dangerous and uncertain.
- Ahaz was nervous about
his future.
- the Lord said “...if
you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all...”
- the sign of the Lord
would be the virgin birth of Immanuel.
- God is in charge of the
affairs of men.
Was Jesus simply a
product of this world, just another baby in a long line of babies?
- God came to this world
from outside of this world.
Is Jesus in us simply a
process of adopting ideas, a system of belief?
- God comes in to us from
outside of this world.
Was the world a
hospitable place for the birth of Jesus?
Is the current world a
hospitable place for the coming of Jesus?
Do we have room for
Jesus?
Come Lord Jesus!
Dec. 26 - LIGHT
1 John 1:7 “...but
if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the
Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus
His Son cleanses us from all sin...”
Context:
- the disciples had first
hand experience with the physical reality of Jesus Christ.
- they wanted others to
experience the fellowship with the Father and the Son.
- fellowship with Him is
not real if we walk in the darkness.
- walking in the light
brings several things:
1. Fellowship with the
Father and the Son.
2. Fellowship with one
another.
3. Cleansing from sin.
How can a person know
what sin is?
- the Holy Spirit
convicts people of sin.
- sin is only understood
in relationship to God’s righteousness.
- sin why Calvary was
necessary.
Is a person clean because
they have avoided the things that are commonly regarded as wrong?
- even if we could avoid
the ‘big sins’, we would still be terribly unclean.
What happens when we walk
in the light?
- we are in the presence
of Jesus, the light of the world.
- we are in fellowship
with fellow travelers.
- the blood cleanses us.
What happens when we walk
in darkness?
- we lie to ourselves
about fellowship with Him.
- we don’t practice the
truth.
Are we walking with
Jesus?
Dec. 27 - BATTLE
Jeremiah 4:1 “...If
you will return, O Israel," declares the Lord, "Then you
should return to Me. And if you will put
away your detested things from My presence, And will not
waver,...”
Context:
- Jeremiah is appointed
by God as a prophet to the nations (1:5).
- the nation of Israel
has gone after worthlessness and become worthless (2:5).
- they have forsaken God
and built systems that didn’t contain God’s life (2:13).
- God is looking for
repentance, for a people who will acknowledge their guilt (3:13).
- the reward would be
good shepherds who would feed with knowledge and understanding
(3:15).
- the alternative would
be wrath (4:4)
Where are battles fought?
- on battlegrounds.
- physical locations,
mental locations, spiritual locations.
Why are battles fought?
- to gain advantages,
privileges, and possessions.
Which battle does Oswald
say is the critical battle which determines how all other battles are
fought?
- the matter of our will.
- if we’re still in
control, if we haven’t surrendered to God’s will, all other
battles are essentially futile.
Who makes a better
commander-in-chief, you or God?
What happens when we try
to fight external battles without first resolving the will issue?
- our limited
understanding pushes us in errant directions.
- our preferred outcomes
don’t align with God’s purposes.
- we find ourselves AWOL,
ill equipped, and destined to failure.
Are we living a useless
battle fatigued existence, or a destined for glory, army of God, life
journey?
Dec. 28 - CONVERT
Matthew 18:3 “...and
said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted
and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom
of heaven...”
Context:
- the transfiguration of
Jesus has occurred.
- the return to earthly
reality leads to rebuking a demon.
- Jesus tells of His
upcoming death and resurrection.
- the disciples want to
know about being great in the kingdom of heaven.
What can prevent a person
from entering the kingdom of heaven?
- failure to convert and
become like children.
What does it mean to
convert and become like children?
- there are attitudes and
actions of adulthood that are inconsistent with heaven.
- there are things from
which we must turn.
What specific attitude
does Jesus say is necessary (18:4)?
- humility.
How do people demonstrate
a lack of humility?
- trusting their wits
instead of God.
- trusting in individual
achievements and accomplishments.
- thinking they know more
than the really know.
- persisting in obstinate
rebellion against the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Are there whole tracts of
our lives which have not been converted to childlike submission to
God?
Dec. 29 - FOLLOW
John 6:66 “...As a
result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not
walking with Him anymore...”
Context:
- Jesus feeds the five
thousand.
- Jesus walks on water.
- Jesus claims to be the
bread of life.
- the Jews grumbled.
- the Jews disputed.
- the teaching of Jesus
flesh as true food and His blood as true drink was difficult.
- after this, many turned
and no longer walked with Him.
When does following Jesus
get difficult?
- when a revealed truth
doesn’t fit into our preconceptions.
- when our system of
belief can’t comprehend His meaning or direction.
What are the options when
our point of view clashes with a heavenly revelation?
- embrace the revelation
and move into unknown and usually uncomfortable territory.
- reject the revelation
to stay consistent with your entrenched beliefs.
Which option leads to
lifeless, powerless, religion?
Which option brings light
to a dark world?
Which option is most
natural?
Which option will we
choose?
