Had a chance to teach on Wednesday night. We broke up into "tiny" groups and discussed the first twelve scriptures. That did not leave us time to review the other quotes, but it was well received and got us all thinking.
When God says, “No.”
The Greek word translated Mystery is used 27 times in the NT and means that which, being outside the unassisted natural apprehension, can be made known only by divine revelation.
Break up into ‘tiny’ groups and tackle these, but first stop and pray for revelation.
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. Heb. 5:8
1) Psalm 136:10,15,17,18 God’s lovingkindness demonstrated in the death of His enemies.
2) "Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins." / Psalm 25:18
Break it into two halves and examine it.
3) Hebrews 10:32-35 “accepted joyfully the seizure of your property”... say what?
4) Luke 24:25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” A foundational principle of God is revealed.
5) The purpose of the church and the wisdom of God revealed in 2 verses. Eph. 3:10,11
6) Lifting the veil of personal suffering... 2 Corin. 1:3-7 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.
7) Exposure, vulnerability... its all good. James 5:16 “Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” AMP version
8) What makes us steadfast and immovable? 1 Corin. 15:55-58
9) What is the “therefore” referring to? What makes the praise a sacrifice?
Hebrews 13:14-16
14 For here we have no permanent city, but we are looking for the one which is to come.
15 Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.
16 Do not forget or neglect to do kindness and good, to be generous and distribute and contribute to the needy [of the church as embodiment and proof of fellowship], for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
10) Communion 1 Cor. 11:23-32 Can you put this section in your own words? What is the purpose of communion?
11) James 1:2-4 Familiar passage, but what is it really saying? “2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.” AMP
12) Parents do it with their kids and HE does it with us....Hebrews 12:5-7
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Self-pity and murmuring, will short circuit the work the God is trying to do in your life and since His purposes can not be ultimately thwarted, you will be looping around the mountain one more time!
Sentimental and shallow love must die in order to make room for true grace-filled resurrection unconditional love.
Disillusionment with others, and with self, and with God are an essential part of the path of life.
The object of pursuit, in the wisdom, of God is the glory of God, not the pursuit of happiness, not instant gratification. Anyone who pursues the glory of God makes themselves a candidate not for happiness, but for suffering, but the ultimate end, is the glory of God and the ultimate reward is in the life to come. “These all died, not having received the promises..."Hebrews 11:13
Our terminology is “ultimate gratification." Art Katz Two Wisdoms (part 2)
Praise in the middle of affliction devastates the enemy.
Practical advice from Oswald Chambers...(January 30)
Get into the habit of saying, "Speak, Lord," and life will become a romance. Every time circumstances press, say, "Speak, Lord"; make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline, it is meant to get me to the place of saying, "Speak, Lord."
This is the temper which sanctified affliction always begets, so that the prostrate soul dares no longer to impose terms on Jehovah, but yields itself to his sovereign discretion. There is peace in such a surrender, a peace which is altogether independent of any expected mitigation of the stroke. Wave after wave often goes over the child of God, before he is brought to this state of self-renunciation. Murmuring may for a time prevail, yet the Great Physician, who applies the painful remedy, cannot be baffled, and triumphs to his own glory, and the unspeakable benefit of the believer's soul.
Chastisement is useful, because it leads the believer to look for complete happiness in heaven only. He is the happy man who dwells most on the thoughts of heaven. Like Enoch — he walks with God. Like Job, he can say, "I know that my Redeemer lives," etc. Like David, he glories, "You will show me your salvation!" Like Paul, he triumphs, "For I am now ready to be offered," etc.
In every case of suffering, it is the prime wisdom of the Christian to fix his eyes upon the heavenly crown. In every other hope you may be disappointed, in this you cannot. Try as you may all other fountains for your solace, there is a time coming when you must be driven to this. Become familiar with meditation on heavenly glory! Daily contemplate that joyful deliverance from evil, that indissoluble and ecstatic union with the Lord Jesus Christ! Then, when death lays upon you his cold hand, you can say, "I am prepared for this hour. I have longed for this deliverance to meet my Lord in His house. I have lived in communion with the blessed Lord of heaven." "Lo, this is my God, I have waited for Him, and He will save me; this is the Lord, I have waited for Him; I will rejoice and be glad in His salvation."
Lastly, Charles Haddon Spurgeon
"And all the children of Israel murmured." / Numbers 14:2
There are murmurers amongst Christians now, as there were in the camp of
Israel of old. There are those who, when the rod falls, cry out against the
afflictive dispensation. They ask, "Why am I thus afflicted? What have I done
to be chastened in this manner?" A word with thee, O murmurer! Why shouldst
thou murmur against the dispensations of thy heavenly Father? Can he treat
thee more hardly than thou deservest? Consider what a rebel thou wast once,
but he has pardoned thee! Surely, if he in his wisdom sees fit now to chasten
thee, thou shouldst not complain. After all, art thou smitten as hardly as thy
sins deserve? Consider the corruption which is in thy breast, and then wilt
thou wonder that there needs so much of the rod to fetch it out? Weigh
thyself, and discern how much dross is mingled with thy gold; and dost thou
think the fire too hot to purge away so much dross as thou hast? Does not that
proud rebellious spirit of thine prove that thy heart is not thoroughly
sanctified? Are not those murmuring words contrary to the holy submissive
nature of God's children? Is not the correction needed? But if thou wilt
murmur against the chastening, take heed, for it will go hard with murmurers.
God always chastises his children twice, if they do not bear the first stroke
patiently. But know one thing--"He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the
children of men." All his corrections are sent in love, to purify thee, and to
draw thee nearer to himself. Surely it must help thee to bear the chastening
with resignation if thou art able to recognize thy Father's hand. For "whom
the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If
ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons." "Murmur not as some
of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer."
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