Review of Week 48: 

COHERENT: We live with Spirit led focus, not flesh led randomness.

GOD FOCUSED: We should focus more on the events of Christ, and less on the effects.

CONSECRATED: Are we dedicated and devoted to the service and worship of God?

FREE GIFT: Our justification is a free gift. It’s not an even exchange. There’s no room for pride.

GLORIFY CHRIST: Life in the Spirit is the power of the Living God which glorifies Christ in real time.

SUFFICIENT GRACE: His grace works through those willing to accomplish His will.

GUILTY: The Holy Spirit exposes our guilt. The Cross deals with it.

Dec. 2 - PRESS ON

Philippians 3:12 ”...Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus...”

Context:

Paul had more reason than most to have confidence in the flesh (proper birth, law follower, zealous).

None of that compared to knowing Christ Jesus as Lord.

His goals adjusted:

- know Christ and the power of His resurrection.

- share in His suffering.

- become like Him in death.

- be resurrected.

What do you think a perfect world should be like?

- no sick or hungry.

- no thieves, liars, murderers.

- no grumblers or murmurers.

- no sexual perverts.

Which of these can be attained in this life?

What is the practical difference between striving for your idea of perfection and developing a deeper relationship with the Living God?

- the first is an exercise in futility. It draws attention to self and becomes a prideful journey.

- the second is interesting and exciting. It draws attention to God and allows us to humbly participate in His purposes.

Dec. 3 - SPIRIT POWER

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 ”...and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God...”

Context:

- Paul explaining his approach.

- lofty speech and wisdom wasn’t helpful.

- the message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified was all that was important.

What does it mean to have faith that rests in the wisdom of men?

- accepting the logic of man’s words.

- building a belief system with intellectual knowledge.

What does it mean to have faith that is based on the power of God?

- recognizing the reality of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

- Romans 8:11 “...But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you...”

- Living with His life in us.

How are the circumstances of life processed differently depending upon where your faith rests?

- if faith rests on man’s wisdom, every circumstance is intellectually evaluated for the why and what now.

- if faith rests on the power of God, every circumstance is embraced with the joyful expectation of God’s powerful leading.

Dec. 4 - OVERCOME

Revelation 2:7 “...'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'...”

Context:

- Jesus knows our labors.

- Jesus knows what we endure.

- Jesus knows when we’ve abandoned the love we had at first.

- Jesus expects us to repent.

- Jesus wants us to overcome (conquer).

Oswald says that antagonism is the open fact of life. Is tension good or bad?

What would happen to you physically if there was no tension in your body?

- you would collapse.

- it takes muscle tone and proper tension to function.

What happens to a deer that is hit by a car and no longer has muscle tension?

- it collapses and is eventually devoured by the world around it.

What would happen to us morally if there was no tension in our ethics?

- we would collapse.

- we would be devoured by the world around us.

What would happen to us spiritually if there was no tension in our spirituality?

- we would collapse.

- we would conform to this fleshly world.

If we are physically, morally, and spiritually fit, we have stability and balance within the tensions of our life.

We need to overcome the forces that work against us, and eat of the Tree of Life.

Dec. 5 - WORK it OUT

Genesis 41:40 “...You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you..."

Context:

- God gives Joseph the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams

- Joseph guides Pharaoh into the future.

- Pharaoh places Joseph in a position of great power.

Step 1: Understand what God is doing.

How can a person know what God is doing? [personal relationship]

Step 2: Make appropriate decisions today based on knowing God.

Can we live correctly in the here and now without knowing God?

Step 3: Live responsibly from a position of authority.

Knowing God and making correct decisions will always result in positions of responsibility.

What is Philippians 2:12 saying? “...work out your salvation with fear and trembling;...”

- Jesus accomplished our justification at Calvary.

- Our decisive faith living works salvation into all areas of our existence.

How do we pervert Micah 6:8 “...He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?...”

- we demand justice from others but desire kindness and mercy from them.

- we should demand justice of ourselves, and apply kindness and mercy to others.

Dec. 6 - ESTABLISHED COVENANT

Genesis 9:13 “...I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth...”

Context:

- All living creatures, except those on the ark, have been destroyed.

- Noah and his sons are told to “Be fruitful and multiply”. A do over of Gen.1:22?

- They’re told they don’t have to be vegetarians.

- God established a covenant to never again destroy the earth with a flood.

- The bow in the clouds is the sign of the covenant.

Did the covenant with Noah depend on Noah or God? [God]

If people don’t think of God when they see a rainbow, is the covenant broken? [NO]

Matthew 26:27-28 ”...And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins...”

Hebrews 13:20-21 “...Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen...”

Did the covenant mediated by Jesus depend on people or Jesus? [Jesus]

If people don’t think it’s possible to have a relationship with Almighty God, is the covenant broken?

- the sacrifice has been made.

- relationship is possible for all humanity.

- God’s part is rock solid.

Are we clean because of anything we do?

- we’re only clean because of what Christ did.

Is there any filth His sacrifice didn’t cover?

What is our part?

- accept the reality by faith.

- identify with the crucifixion and resurrection.

      - die to self and live each day by faith in Him.

Dec. 7 - REPENTANCE

2 Corinthians 7:10 “...For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death...”

Context:

- challenge to be perfectly cleansed.

- challenge to bring holiness to completion in the fear of God.

- grief isn’t enough.

- grief leading to repentance is needed.

- worldly grief produces death.

What happens when the Holy Spirit convicts a person of sin?

- there is a realization that we have done evil in God’s sight.

- the realization goes well beyond a simple right/wrong awareness.

What are the possible responses to this conviction?

- godly grief, which produces repentance, that leads to salvation and no regrets.

- worldly grief, short of repentance, doesn’t lead to repentance and salvation, so regrets remain.

- sin processed through covenant forgiveness leads to holiness.

- sin without forgiveness leads to death.

Why is repentance a conscious event?

Why is holiness an unconscious event?

Do you believe that repentance is the bedrock of Christianity?

Is it a learned response?

Is it more than a one time response?

Dec. 8 - PERFECTED

Hebrews 10:14 “...For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified...”

Context:

- the law was but a shadow.

- the law couldn’t make perfect.

- Christ does away with the first to establish the second, once for all.

- He has perfected for all time.

Do you feel like you have been perfected?

Have you been perfected by Christ’s offering?

Hebrews 9:28 “...so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him...”

What did Christ accomplish with His 1st appearance?

- He bore the sins of many (justification).

What will Christ accomplish with His 2nd coming?

- Salvation of those who are eagerly waiting.

John 16:9 ”...concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;...”

Why does the Holy Spirit convict of sin?

- because of unbelief in Jesus.

What difference does belief in Jesus make?

- we must believe His offering perfected us.

- if we don’t believe, we will die in our sins.

Option 1: Living in the joy of Hebrews 10:19-25? “...Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near...”

Option 2: Living in the fear of Hebrews 10:26-31 “...For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge His people." It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God...”

Why is the gate into life not found by more people?

- the way is narrow.

- it requires humility.

- it requires faith.