WAR ROOM WEEK 3 LIVING THE GOSPEL

LIVING THE GOSPEL

This week is about the power of the gospel.  The gospel is more than being saved from living eternity in hell. We are to be TRANSFORMED. This is a DAILY process to be more like Christ.

What is the definition of “grace” to you?

I love acronyms. I have uses them a lot in my schooling and learning processes. When I first went to the church that I go now, the pastor said “Grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”.

READ Ephesians 2:4-9

Notice how many times that grace is used in this scripture. Grace is NOTHING that we EARN or DESERVE.

Write in your journal what Grace means to you.

What separates Christians for all other religions is that we have SALVATION by GRACE through FAITH. Many think that is all there is about grace, the atonement for us by Christ on the cross. BUT it is more. Grace should also go into our lives and change us to become a NEW person.  Just as we relied on God’s grace to save us, we must rely on his grace DAILY to provide everything that we will need that day, to obey his commandments and be more like Christ.

Using the scripture about answer the following questions:

1.  What do these verses say about the character and heart of God?

2.  According to this passage, why has God granted us grace and forgiveness?

3.  What danger is associated with works in this passage?

Work-based salvation first of all IMPOSSIBLE and furthermore it seeks the honor of man. Grace-based salvation is a gift to use through Jesus Christ and it honors God, and God alone.  Every sin we commit can be based on one word. “ME”. That’s is what is this center of every bad and evil thing. People are living the motto “It’s all about me”. Even when they are trying to become a Christian through works of doing good, but not through Jesus Christ.

READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES:

COLOSSIANS 3:12-17    TITUS 2:11-14     EPHESIANS 4:22-32

According to these scriptures, how are believers supposed to live? How are they not to live?

When we receive our salvation, we are to “take off the old self and put on the new self”.  In order to do this we have to act. It doesn’t just happen. You can’t take anything off without moving some part of your body, can you? It requires ACTION.  After salvation, the rest of our live in a work in progress, constantly moving and changing, getting more and more like Jesus.

QUOTE FROM THE MOVIE: “ HE GIVES US GRACE AND HE HELPS US TO GIEVE IT TO OTHERS EVEN WHEN THEY DON’T DESERVE IT. WE ALL DESERVE JUDGEMENT. AND THAT IS WHAT A HOLY GOD GIVEN US WHEN WE DON’T REPENT AND BELIEVER IN HIS SON.” Miss Clara

God’s grace is free gift. No one can earn it. The grace of God is not only what saves you, it also SUSTAINS you. When you are fighting the enemy you need even more.

READ THE FOLLOWING VERSES AND WRITE IN YOUR JOURNAL WHAT EACH SAYS ABOUT GRACE OR THE GOSPEL:

ROMANS 5:8     ROMANS 6:23     ROMANS 8:1     2 CORINTHAINS 5:21     1 TIMOTHY 1:15

WRITE OUT THE SCRIPTURE ROMANS 3:23-26 IN YOUR JOURNAL.

Now underline everything God has done for you in this passage.  Then write down everything you have done to earn God’s grace, according to this passage.

We all fall short in this life because of sin. What God does is grant us that “amazing grace” .

QUOTE FOMR THE MOVIE: “ ELIZABETH, THERE’S NOT ROOM FOR YOU AND GOD ON THE THRONE OF YOUR HEART. IT’S EITHER HIM OR IT’S YOU. YOU NEED TO STEP DOWN. IF YOU WANT VICTORY, YOU FIRST HAVE TO SUREENDER” – Miss Clara

READ 1 SAMUEL 5:1-5

Here in this story notice two things: 1) God had no intention of sharing space with a false idol in a temple. 2) God had no intention of sharing space in our hearts with false idols either.

Surrender. It is hard to surrender in any situation.  In fact, it is unnatural because it feels like we are giving up. Relinquishing control and no one wants to do that.

J.D. Greear wrote this “ The gospel has done its work in us when we crave God more than we crave anything else in life- more than money, romance, family, health, fame – and when seeing His kingdom advance in the lives of others give us more joy than anything we could own. When we see Jesus as greater than anything the world can offer, we’ll gladly let everything else go to possess Him.”

What do YOU CRAVE most? List anything and everything in your journal that to tend to place first in your life AHEAD of God.

Would you be willing to lay aside these or anything else, even good things, in order to keep Christ first in your heart?

Do you understand the fullness of God’s grace in your own life?

The gospel of Jesus is cheap if those who have received it, can’t be distributors of it. Only when we come down off our throne in our lives can we truly see how much God has given us. THEN and ONLY THEN we will desire Him more than anything else the world offers.

READ MATTHEW 13:44-46

What was required of the man and the merchant to gain their treasures? How does that illustrate the kingdom of heaven?

So, if we want to win battles, we have to surrender.  What do you need to surrender to God in the following areas of your life: In your family, In your marriage, At your church, At your work, In the way you use your time and resources.

QUOTE FROM THE MOVIE: “YOU NEED TO DO YOUR FIGHTING IN PRAYER” – Miss Clara

TAKE TIME TO MEMORIZE HEBREWS 4:16

There is nothing more worshipful than vulnerability. Being vulnerable indicates trust and humility of the heart. Also being vulnerable before God indicates a truer understanding of who he is. That HE is trustworthy.

Boldly means fearlessly, not in a disrespectful or prideful way.  Because of Jesus dying on the cross for you and me, we are no longer “shackled” to our sin, guilt, shame and doubts. We are God’s children who can approach their Father, who cares for them and has the ability to handle any request made by his children.

REFLECT ON A TIME WHEN YOU FELT YOU NEEDED GOD’S HELP THE MOST.

God uses people’s weakness for His purpose.

READ JOHN 18:25-27   What was Peter’s weakness?  READ ACTS 2:37-42 How did God use Peter?

READ EXODUS 3:1-10; 4: 10-13  What was Moses’ weakness?  READ EXODUS 13:1-6 How did God use Moses?

READ JUDGES 6:11-16 What was Gideon’s weakness? READ JUDGES 8:22-35 How did God use Gideon?

READ 1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31

FILL IN THE BLANKS:

       GOD CHOOSES THE _________TO SHAME THE _______ AND THE_______TO SHAME THE _______SO THAT ____________.

 

What areas in your life have you been trying to use your own strength? Ask God to make you strong in all your areas of weakness.  Ask Him to remove anything that would hinder you from coming to Him boldly, daily. Ask Him to help you down off “the throne” in your life so that He can take His rightful place. Thank Him for His Grace.

 

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