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?