STEPPING
INTO ABUNDANT LIVING -- TIME FOR ACTION!
3rd
Beatitude:
Matthew 5:5 (NIV)
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
‘BLESSED
ARE THOSE WHO are meek’ – COUPLE of
weeks ago.. we discussed mourning – grieve over sin… when we TURN – turn to God
they/ we will be comforted – find new life… Trusting, Understanding, Repenting.. leads to New Life – last week’s lesson we learned about meekness and what that ‘turning’ looks like – staying in step with and
on the same path that God has for us.
they/ we will be comforted – find new life… Trusting, Understanding, Repenting.. leads to New Life – last week’s lesson we learned about meekness and what that ‘turning’ looks like – staying in step with and
on the same path that God has for us.
5. The meek (οἱ πραεῖς).
The
Christian word, describes an inward quality, and that as related
primarily to God. The, mildness, kindness, represented by
the classical word, are founded in self-control or in natural disposition. The Christian
meekness is based on humility, which is not a natural quality but
an outgrowth of a renewed nature.
The
meek are happy (v. 5); Blessed are
the meek. The meek are those who quietly submit themselves to God, to his
word and to his rod, who follow his directions, and comply with his designs,
and are gentle towards all men (Tit. 3:2); who can bear provocation
without being inflamed by it; are either silent, or return a soft answer; and
who can show their displeasure when there is occasion for it, without being
transported into any indecencies; who can be cool when others are hot; and in
their patience keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep
possession of any thing else. They are the meek, who are rarely and
hardly provoked, but quickly and easily pacified; and who would rather forgive
twenty injuries than revenge one, having the rule of their own spirits.
Certainly a ‘necessary’ principle to practice if we are going to enjoy the abundant life… Reminder once again of our scripture we are focused on for the entire class:
10 The thief comes only in order to
steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life,
and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows).
(MSG)
In
a couple of weeks.. I am going to start addressing the first part of this
passage and how spiritual warfare and the enemy play a huge part in hindering
our abundant life.Let’s start this evening by seeing where we are… write down which step you are on tonight (pic)
Now that we
know where we are… we can address where we need to go next..
·
Hopefully,
by this point in the class we’ve applied, with God’s help, the truths we have
already received. We admitted our lives were out of control and unmanageable,
and we came to believe that God could restore us.
·
But
even after taking the steps we have already learned, we can still be stuck in a
cycle of failure that keeps us bound
by guilt, anger, fear, and depression.
Tonight
we are going to see how to get “unstuck”
How do we
get past those old familiar negative barriers of pride, fear, guilt, worry, and
doubt – all the things that keep us from moving on?
·
The
answer is ACTION!
The
Principle tonight is all about ACTION.
It states: “We choose to commit all of our life
and will to Christ’s care and control”
·
Making
a choice requires ACTION……..It also
requires trust and faith in God
Most of us
don’t like making decisions. We know the
difference between right and wrong, but we just follow the crowd because it’s
easier than making the decision to do what we know is the right thing.
·
We
procrastinate making commitments that will allow for positive change to occur
in our lives because it means rearranging priorities, it means personal
sacrifice and it’s inconvenient at times.
·
Do
you know that to ‘not decide’ is to decide?
Putting off the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior
really is making the decision not to
accept Him? Putting off allowing Him to
be the ‘Lord’ of your life.. the one in charge, really is already making a
decision?
Taking this
step is like opening a door: All you need is the willingness to make the
decision. Jesus will do the rest.
In His
word, God tells us – “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”(Revelation 3:20)
·
We
accept Jesus Christ as our Higher Power, Lord and Savior, Healer…..In Romans
10:9 God’s Word tells us, “If you declare with your lips ‘Jesus is Lord’, and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
·
We
Make the commitment to establish a personal relationship with Him. His greatest desire is that we draw close to
Him and know Him better. God says make
the choice today….Satan says do it tomorrow.
It’s only
after you make this decision that you can begin to COMMIT to start asking and
following God’s will.
In this
step, we change our definition of willpower.
Willpower becomes the willingness to accept God’s power to guide your
life. There’s no room for God if we are
full of ourselves. We must Get out of
the way! Pray: “Teach me to do your
will, for you are my God: may your good Spirit lead me on level ground” Psalm 143:9-10
·
We
have to begin to learn how to ‘Let go and let God”. You’ve heard that phrase many times. It doesn’t say just let go of some things to
God. It doesn’t say just let go of, turn
over, only the ‘big’ things.
Proverbs
3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
, “In everything
you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts
with success” In everything you do. Not just the big things, not just the little
things. EVERYTHING!
·
Jesus
Christ wants a relationship with ALL of you, not with part of you.
·
Jesus
is not valued at all unless He’s valued above
all….What burdens are you carrying with you tonight that you want to turn
over to Jesus?
·
We’ve
described turning your life & will over to Christ like handing over the
keys to your car and letting God take the wheel and take control
The new
life that begins with this decision is followed by a lifelong process of
growing as a Christian.
Philippians 1:6 (NL) puts it this way: And I am certain that God, who began the good
work within you, will continue his work until it is finally
finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Philippians
1:6 NIV
being
confident of this, that he who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
“God
who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his
grace until his task within you is finally finished.”
It’s a process.
Be patient.
If we want to be successful, we must
focus on ONE DAY AT A TIME
If we
remain stuck in the yesterday, or constantly worry about tomorrow, we will
waste the precious time of the present.
·
It’s
only in the present that change and growth can occur. We can’t change yesterday and we can only
pray for tomorrow.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.
·
If
I could go back and change the past I would.
I would do many things differently.
I would choose not to do the shameful, destructive things I did with my
life. I would choose not to have
inflicted pain upon myself and my family.
But I can’t change one thing that happened in my past. And neither can you.
·
And
I can’t live somewhere off in the future always worrying if “this or that” is
going to happen. And neither can
you. I leave that up to God.
·
But
I can and do live in today! I wake up
each morning and thank God for that day He’s given me. With the guidance and direction of Jesus Christ
I can make a difference in the way I live today. And so can you. One day at a time! Give Him each day before your feet hit the
ground!
GROUP
WORK
1. Briefly share about your personal
experience of ‘salvation’ – becoming a Christ follower/ disciple of Jesus.
2. I CAN’T. GOD CAN. I’LL LET
HIM. It’s time to let Him. As you
consider taking this action step… what exactly does that mean given your
current situation(s)?
3. Do you find it difficult
to live one day at a time? Why? What is keeping you from it – worry? A certain behavior? Share.
4. Do you have a tough time
making decisions? Procrastinate? What is
God showing you with regard to this?
Why?
5. What action do you need to
take tonight or this week?
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