I actually wrote this bible study a while back. I may revise it more as I am ready to present it to our Life Group soon. I wanted to go ahead and post it as it seems a few of you have been logging on to my blog and my last new post was a while ago. So here it is , lets pray....
God you are great and almighty. You are merciful Lord God, and you give us Grace to save us, Grace to bring us out of death to life, with you. You shower us with your gifts. Lord help us through our drawing nearer to you, and help us to get out of your way. Kill us Lord, and fill us back up with your presence, Lord we seek to marinate our minds in your word, so that we could be transformed, a new creation, in you Lord God.
How do you decide what God’s will is, and when you do,… what happens next?
Romans 12:1-2 NIV
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, Holy and pleasing to God-This is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
God is merciful, to us. Our reaction should be to trust, obey and serve Him. This is more than an animal sacrifice; it represents a newness of life.
What does Holy mean here?
Holy here means “set apart” for God’s use.
In the NKJV it reads “ reasonable act of service”
What is your reasonable act of service?
It is the only rational reaction that we should have to the Grace
(and all the gifts)God has showered on us.
Conform means to mold or form. The world ( as we know it ) is today’s society in this country and it’s ways..Instead of being molded by those values, the believer should be transformed and changed by the renewing of the mind. Spiritual transformation starts in the mind and the heart. A mind dedicated to the world will be tossed back and forth by current trends of this culture, but a mind dedicated to God’s truth will produce a life that will stand the test of time and leave a meaningful legacy. We can resist the temptations of our culture by meditating on God’s truth
(marinating our minds)and letting the Holy Spirit guide our thoughts and behaviors.
Psalm 1:2
…but his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law he meditates day and night.
Who here tonight is already or wants to be a Disciple Of Jesus Christ?
What does it mean to trust God? Do we do it?
So, let’s talk about THIS.
Die To Self
Luke 9:23-24 New Living Translation (NLT)
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Mark 8:35 New International Version ( NIV )
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.
Mark 8:35 The Message (MSG)
Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?
The martyr Jim Elliot (1927-1956), missionary to the Auca people in Ecuador, often expressed this classic piece of wisdom:
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Assuming we’re already Christ-believer’s, and conceding Jesus’ statement is conditional, chasing the ‘lost’ life in order to truly save our life (hence finding it) requires us to consistently give up on our own personal desires, plans and dreams and to start loving others as we do ourselves. It’s the perfect search of selflessness and wisdom.
Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be like Jesus attitude.
And this can’t ever be done overnight. It’s a process of practicing the practice over the years and decades, commencing with the seconds and minutes. It’s about training. It’s about listening to, and cooperating with, the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. It’s about becoming a professional Christ like human being. And if this is our sole focus, all other things we need will be given to us.
Enter the concept of good faith, and right living before God and with humankind.
When we give up what we cannot keep (our life and control over it) for a life in God, we get to keep a slice of eternity (here) as a sort of ‘down payment’ on life kept in eternity (to come) with God--something we cannot lose, provided we remain in him.
How well do you understand the cost of discipleship?
What does it mean to "deny ourselves”?
We must shed old habits, distance ourselves from worldly ways. We must move away from temptations and put Christ and others first in our lives.
How do you apply “taking up your cross” in your life?
For me it is my daily challenge to not retaliate to the abuse I receive at work from my manager.(This was actually in my last job, when i wrote this. I am now my manager, Praise God.) And in other areas of daily living.
Matthew 7:13-14New Living Translation (NLT)
The Narrow Gate
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it."
The dictionary definition of disciple is: One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.
Matthew 28:19-20 NIV
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
It doesn’t say go to church one hour a week. It says to share what you have learned.
So, why do you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Do you want the trials and persecution that will come?
If we refuse the crosses, then we cannot be a follower; if I follow, then crosses are inevitable.
Romans 5:3-5 NLT
And we can rejoice also when we face trials and problems, for we know that they help us develop endurance, and endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
God’s all sufficient grace will enable us to carry our crosses well.
What is at Stake
While the Bible plainly teaches that the sole requirement to be saved is to trust Christ as Lord and Savior, sometimes the invitation to "trust" or "accept" Him is done in a way that is sufficiently vague.
Christians need to take time to thoroughly explain the gospel when evangelizing, but many never do. If the gospel is not explained and understood, false conversions happen more frequently as a result of superficial and misinformed decisions. As a result, churches become filled with misinformed, but comfortable people who will one day stand at the gate of heaven saying; “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” Matthew 7:22 (NKJV) only to hear Him reply, “I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.” Matthew 7:23 (NLT)
If anything in the Bible is frightening, this is it…people who claim the name of Christ, go to church, and even do ministry, all the while living their lives with a false hope, because they never really knew Jesus.
If the world is messed up, ask yourself this; How did I mess it up?
What are you doing?to fulfill your purpose? ( the reason why you were saved )
Matthew 6:33
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Deuteronomy 6:5
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength
We can do things our way, or we can do things God’s way…our way is not working
James 2:14 NIV What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
From the book "My Time In Heaven" Nine Steps To The Fullness Of Christ:
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love,joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Deuteronomy 30:9-19
The Message (MSG)
And you will make a new start, listening obediently to God, keeping all his commandments that I'm commanding you today. God, your God, will outdo himself in making things go well for you: you'll have babies, get calves, grow crops, and enjoy an all-around good life. Yes, God will start enjoying you again, making things go well for you just as he enjoyed doing it for your ancestors.
But only if you listen obediently to God, your God, and keep the commandments and regulations written in this Book of Revelation. Nothing halfhearted here; you must return to God, your God, totally, heart and soul, holding nothing back.
This commandment that I'm commanding you today isn't too much for you, it's not out of your reach. It's not on a high mountain—you don't have to get mountaineers to climb the peak and bring it down to your level and explain it before you can live it. And it's not across the ocean—you don't have to send sailors out to get it, bring it back, and then explain it before you can live it. No. The word is right here and now—as near as the tongue in your mouth, as near as the heart in your chest. Just do it!
Look at what I've done for you today: I've placed in front of you
Life and Good
Death and Evil.
And I command you today: Love God, your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his commandments, regulations, and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by God, your God, in the land you are about to enter and possess.
But I warn you: If you have a change of heart, refuse to listen obediently, and willfully go off to serve and worship other gods, you will most certainly die. You won't last long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you today: I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life so that you and your children will live. And love God, your God, listening obediently to him, firmly embracing him. Oh yes, he is life itself, a long life settled on the soil that God, your God, promised to give your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Google Translate
