Quiet Times Search

• Each disciple is different but each disciple is valuable to God and the body
• Just as your foot can't live without the body neither can a disciple live without the body
• The relationships in the church are very important. You have an opportunity to be close to a lot of people
• Question: How do you feel about the opportunity to be close friends with so many different types of people?

• God wants us to be successful but it's up to us to seek advice and apply it to our lives
• Question: What area in your life do you need to seek advice in?
• Question: Why is it important to seek advice? So we don't give Satan a foothold.

• Question: What do you understand these scriptures as saying to you?
• Question: Who would be the most challenging relationship for you to keep God above?
• Question: What if your (spouse, kids, parent) did not want to be a disciple (or left) what would you do?
• Satan will use relationships closest to you to try to pull you away.
• Don't think these things will never happen to you - never underestimate the devil
• v26 - Even his own life
  • What will you need to overcome?

• Even when you sin after you are baptized then the blood of Jesus will continue to purify you from all sin if we stay in the light
• We should confess our sins and having discipling relationship helps us to take care of one another
• Question: If someone approaches you and talks about how many changes they have seen in you. What should you tell them (role play)

• Confess your sins to each other - James 5:16
• Do not lie to each other - Colossians 3:9
• Do not slander one another - James 4:11
• Don’t grumble against each other - James 5:9
• Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others - 1 Peter 4:10
• Encourage each other - 1 Thessalonians 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:11
• Encourage one another - Hebrews 10:25
• Encourage one another daily - Hebrews 3:13

• Ephesians 4:22-24 - Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness
• Colossians 3:10 - Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator

• It is not merely being a member of the church.
• It is not merely being baptized.
• It is not merely observing the Lord’s Supper each Sunday.
• It is not merely the equivalent of quiet time each day.
• It is not merely an involvement in one or more discipling relationships.
• It is not merely being busy in “Church work”.
• It is not merely being fruitful in evangelism.

• It means that I am continually conscious of God’s presence and that I desire such by seeking God’s face throughout the day
• It means that His thoughts are becoming my thoughts, His ways are becoming my ways (this is a continual, never ending process)
• It means that I truly love God and want to obey His will with more of my heart each day.

1. Grace
2. “Lifted up” – growing and being blessed
3. Relief because his burdens and anxieties will be carried by God
4. Better relationships (God opposes the proud, so do other people)

1. Accept full responsibility (don’t blame others for your actions)
2. Make no excuses (don’t be defensive)
3. Apologize humbly and go on your way rejoicing.

1. Tell them in a respectful way (don’t give in to faithlessness or fear)
2. Focus on your love for them and not on what they have done to you.
3. Forgive them (like Jesus did you) and move on being better friends.

• I read that when a caterpillar exists in its lowly state it can get as close as it wants to other caterpillars.
• They climb all over each other and share grounds selflessly.
• But as soon as the caterpillar spreads its wings and takes flight, it can never again get close as it once did to other creatures.
• The beauty of its wings is the very thing that prevents it from getting close.
• When we puff ourselves up with pride, we cannot get close to people around us.
• We beat our wings against theirs and we both are destroyed.

• It takes humility to have truly great relationships
  
• When we are selfish we refuse to share what we have with others (time, possessions, self)
  
• If we fail to share ourselves, then on one will really know us.
  
• It is impossible to be really close to people and be selfish
  

• Pride blinds us to who we really are
• We get a false image of ourselves and cling to that image instead of the truth
• Underneath our arrogance and pride are feelings of self-loathing and extreme neediness
• In order to overcome we puff ourselves up, we act as if we have it together
• Unfortunately we only fool & hurt ourselves because others can see through it.
• This shell of pride can also keep others away as we duck our heads back in (turtle)
• As long as we stay in our shell we are prisoners of our own pride, destine to live a lonely life

Summary

Eve's sons made offerings to God. Only Abel's was acceptable, so Cain killed him. Abel's blood cried out and God sent Cain away.

Observations

Genesis 4:7 - if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door
The sins of omission are very related to the sins of commission. If you are sitting on the sidelines, you have time (maybe considered laziness) and you will give Satan time to put all sorts of temptations in your head. A lazy person bring is a good friend to the evil one and is considered a brother [Proverbs 18:9].

Genesis 4:9 - Am I my brother's keeper?
The Christian walk is more than God and us. It is also the people around us. We learn about relationships from others. We learn about ourselves and get feedback on how we are doing - and give it as well.  Without others we would have been pointed the way to God and we could not reach  others with the gospel.

Genesis 4:12 - You will be a restless wanderer on the earth
Without God in our lives, we are a restless wander. Our thoughts, emotions, and desires become our direction and we walk aimlessly - not knowing where we are, where we came from, or where we are going.

Genesis 4:26 - At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD
Since the beginning of time men began call for for God. It is built into the nature of our being. Time after time he has answered no matter how far away we go. But when he calls for us, will be answer? Will we let it go to voicemail? Are we screening our calls from Him and only answer the calls that are easy to take?

Personal Application

I wonder sometimes if I have my "ringer" loud enough for me to hear when God calls. A lot of times I look back on important events in my life and realize that I missed another lesson God was trying to teach me but I was not listening. I feel embarrassed  that I was so selfish during that times. I want to listen voice from God more intensely.

Summary

Abram journeyed with his nephew Lot. Their servants argued, so Lot went to Sodom, Abram to Canaan. The LORD promised Abram the land.

Observations

Genesis 13:7 - So there were quarrels
When there are many things involved, sometimes because there are quarrels. Quarrels come from our evil desires within us [James 4:1]. It is not the amount of items but our heart toward them. In this day in age, there are many quarrel and we have many things. Right now Congress can not agree on much of anything. Are we fighting the good fight or just fighting each other?

Genesis 13:11 - Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan
Lot had a choice, the better Lot wanted the "well-watered" land for himself but in the ended up with the land full of sin. When chose what is better for ourselves rather than others, we many times not get what we think we are getting. If Lot had the choice over again, he would have likely would chose to give the land to Abram but it instead cost him his life.

Personal Application

I have been very quarrelsome at work recently - there is a lot that frustrates me right now. I need to relax and count my blessings. It is not worth broken relationships or loss of life.

Summary

The kings went to war and took Lot captive. Abram rescued Lot. Melchizedek blessed Abram and Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Observations

Genesis 14:18 - Melchizedek ... He was priest of God Most High
This is the first mention of a priest in the Bible. Melchizedek was the start of the line of priests that would stretch all the way to Jesus' time. Jesus because the high priest and the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him [Hebrews 5:9-10].

Genesis 14:23 - I will accept nothing belonging to you
Abram made the decision not to take anything from the king of Sodom while saving Lot. Instead he chose to give some of his possessions to the priest because he was so grateful that God gave him victory over the kings. He must of sensed something from the king of Sodom that was not right and did not want to be associated with him. Do we have worldly ties that we shouldn't? People around us can assume because hang around others that do wrong, we do the same things. We should live among people as Jesus did but how are we associated with them?

Personal Application

Do I have a good sense of my relationships? Do I tend to be a part of group to just belong or a higher reason? I find it much easier to take then to give and I do not think I have conviction on doing the reverse. There is no such thing as a free lunch (maybe from God because he gives freely) - are some offers of others giving really a trap? In some some situations, I should be giving instead of taking.

Summary

God made a covenant with Abram and renamed him Abraham. He renamed Sarai Sarah and promised them a son. The men were circumcised.

Observations

Genesis 17:9 - As for you, you must keep my covenant
First, God came to Abram and Abram fell facedown. God told him what His part of the covenant - the promises that Abram would be a father of many nations. But there are two sides to covenant - we have commitment too. Sometimes we just love to look at God's promises but ignore our side of the covenant. God freely gives and will always out give us but we must do our part as well. What parts of our relationship with God are one sided?

Genesis 17:17 - Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?
Sometimes what He says to us are hard to believe or understand. But His ways are much higher than our ways [Isaiah 55:9]. Despite our understanding at the time, we need to trust what God says. What promises of promise of God are we not trusting? Why?

Personal Application

I know I can one-sided and stubborn in my thoughts and sometimes in my relationships. When I get my mind set to do something, that is the way it is. This can be a strength in some situations but a very big weakness if I am contrary to God's thinking. I need to be humble and allow God to change my thoughts and my ways.

Remember the battle you entered

• Ephesians 6:10-18 - Satan is after you; don’t be surprised if he attacks you
• Deuteronomy 8:1-5 - God will allow you to be tested
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 - Any test from God will not be beyond what you can handle

Remember what you promised

• Colossians 3:1-10 - That you would die to your sins and fight against them
• Acts 9:17-22 - That you would make an effort to reach out to others (make a list of who)
• Matthew 22:34-40 - That you would love God and strive to get close to Him (make a prayer list)
• Hebrews 10:19-25 - That you would be a part of the church and come to encourage (calendar)

The key to successful first few weeks as a disciple is relationships. Make some specific decisions about how you will stay close to God and the other disciples in your life. Decide as well to get to know some other disciples and start sharing your new-found love for God with those you know and love. You will find that you will have good days, but remember – you’re just getting started.

1. What helped to keep these young disciples faithful?
2. Are you devoting yourself to the same things they did (2:42)?
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1. What does it mean to have "deep conviction"? How can you develop conviction?
2. Who should you imitate? In what ways?
3. Are you becoming a "model" to others? How?

1. Why does God allow us to go through trials?
2. What should your attitude be about going through trials?
3. What are the trials in your life right now?

1. How can you persevere through trials and stand the test?
2. Where do temptations come from? What things tempt you? Have you talked about your temptations with God and with another disciple?

1. Why should we rejoice in trials?
2. How can you know if your faith is genuine or not?
3. Write a list of some of the tests that could come your way (financially, relationships, persecution, etc.)
   
4. How can you prepare today for trials you may face later?

1. Write out this passage substituting your name in place of the word love. Now read through it again, thinking about some specific relationships you have.
2. What do you see about yourself that needs to change?

1. What kind of talk is harmful to others?
2. Have you been involved in talk that is unkind, slanderous or mocking?

1. Who is "over you in the Lord"?
2. Is this based on how they live?
3. Write some names of Christians who work hard among you. Do you respect them from your heart?
4. What is your attitude toward Christians who are weak or slow to learn?

1. Explain verse 2 in your own words. What happens when we act the opposite of this?
2. Why does it take every effort to keep unity?

1. What does it mean to be one in spirit and purpose?
2. How can you consider others better that yourself?
3. Whose interests have you been looking out for besides your own? What is the attitude of Jesus? Is yours the same?

1. How does Jesus tell us to resolve conflicts and disagreements with one another?
2. Who should go to whom first?
3. Is there anyone in the church with whom you need to go and settle a problem?

• Could this heart of gratitude be so powerful as to really heal me, heal my faith, heal my marriage, and heal my relationships?
• Who do I need to be grateful for and have not really told them lately?
• When was the last time I had a family devotional expressing gratefulness for each one?

• Finances, Discipline (Laziness), Purity
• Eating and drinking habits over the holidays.
• Relationships

• Do I welcome spiritual relationships?
• Do I confess sin and push my life into the light?
• How do these sins affect my heart for people?

• Compassion causes us to act. Mark 1:40 - 42
• Compassion compels us to invest emotionally. John 11: 33 - 35
• Compassion inspires hope. Mark 5:25 - 34

• Do we have compassion on all people? - Psalms 145:9
• Do we restore people with compassion? - Zechariah 10:16
• Do we show compassion to the weak? - Isaiah 42:3 & 4
• Do we stifle compassion in our ministries? - Amos 1:11
• Do you see the spiritual suffering of people?

• Are you building and growing relationships?
• Are they deepening through openness, prayer, and discipleship?
• Pray for at least three people you want to build a deeper relationship with. Pray for them.

• Pray for an understanding of God's forgiveness: study the psalms and see David's trust in God.
• Believe that God has a plan for your life: be confident in his love.
• Build great relationships with other Christians who can bolster your faith.

1. Persevere through challenges, correction, and struggles.
2. Allow failures to expose your character so that you can become all God wants you to be.
3. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus, not on yourself and how you feel.

• Busyness substitutes for meaning
• Efficiency substitutes for creativity
• Functional relationships substitutes for love

We live doing the things we ought to do rather than from our desires

There is a step program for a happy marriage, become a Christian, success

Communication with God is then replaced by activity with God

Given the right plan, everything in life can be managed except for the heart

The fundamental virtue of sincerity is what the human heart craves
Parent seek out this trait for their children
It the parent's desire to have unaffected simplicity of a sincere heart

All higher relationships of life have sincerity in its core
Life would not be worth living if there were no one on earth sincere

There are many things we can not be and many things we can not do - but this is one thing is within all of our reach

Jesus was incapable of a lie
No other people stirred Jesus' wrath as men who pretended to be what they were not

A hypocrite is an actor; the word was orginally taken from the stage
God expects every man to be what he claims to be

The sincerity of Jesus which drove him into deadly conflict with the hypocrites
A hypocrite and Jesus cannot live together

We need to boldly redefined success for them = “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” - Deuteronomy 6:5
It is not only how we define success for ourselves; this is how we are called as fathers to define success for our children and grandchildren.
You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up - Deuteronomy 6:6-7

1. God’s Word must “be on your heart.”
Many children who leave the faith is because we did not see God actively working in their parents’ lives.
You can’t inspire them with truths you’re not living

Must always tell them how God is moving:

• When God answers your prayers, tell your kids about it.
• When He changes your heart or helps you overcome temptation, celebrate it with them.
• When you face a season of suffering or persecution, let them see the strength of your faith.

Every day gives you fresh, new material for making your life with Christ a front-row experience

2. Training your children to love God must occur within the context of close relationships.

Talk about God is informal time:

• Greeting your kids at the breakfast table
• Sitting around the house
• Having spiritually rich conversations in the car or at dinner

Making disciples of all nations begins with your own children  - it all starts with their hearts.

You can be the greatest explainer of truth. But if the very heart of your son or daughter does not believe ‘my daddy loves me,’ they will walk away.
People tend to embrace the teaching and beliefs of those who love them the most.
Whoever has their heart has their ears.

Restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers - Malachi 4:6
When this doesn’t happen, fathers invite the “curse” of broken relationships into their homes

You can tell when a father doesn’t have his kids’ hearts. You sense the disrespect and anger, the bitterness and emotional distance.
The key ingredient in raising good children is to get their hearts early, keep their hearts, and be extremely vigilant not to lose your children’s hearts.

Jesus and His Father hearts were always in sync. When Jesus felt separation from the Father, it was the worst pain he could feel.
“For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing” - John 5:20

Summary

Abraham died and was buried with Sarah

Observations

Genesis 25:7 - lived a long and satisfying life
Don't we all want a long and satistying life? We all seek it but do not always find it. Because we are not searching for it correct place. We need seek God with all of our heart and we will find everything we need and some of what we want. In the end and after it is all finished, we want to hear great jobmy faithful servant [Matthew 25:23]

Genesis 25:18 - There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives
Mentioned only for brief time, but the scripture says so much. Just because we are family, does not mean we just get along. Relationships - no matter who they are require work, patience, and understanding. There could be open hostility in our family but more likely hidden anger, hate, or bitterness toward one another. Just because others are family, it does not mean we should be an less kind

Asaph: I realized my heart was bitter and must have seem like a senseless animal to you - Psalm 73:21-22

Bitterness cause more damage to our relationships, health, and souls than almost anything else

Even as he complained, Asaph had a moment of clarity - I was foolish and ignorant - Psalm 73:22

Asaph realized that his bitterness had cost him part of his humanity

He rightly felt a sense of righteous indignation but had crossed a dangerous line of the wicked things to consume his - bitterness

Bitterness consumes the one who indulges it

As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you'll never be king. Now fo and get him so I can kill him! - 1 Samuel 20:31

Few emotions can harm our hearts and relationships like uncontrolled anger

Anger led to:

• Cain slaying Abel
• Samson's downfall
• King Saul's attempts to young and faithful servant David

Saul's anger erupted out of jealousy of David's popularity and treat of becoming king

His anger was so fierce and overwhelming that he attempted to kill David at least three times

Saul's anger made it to his son Jonathan because he was tried to protect David

Saul showed his true colors when he allowed anger to control his every motivation, decision, and action

Sincerity a virtue the human heart craves and parents eyes seek for their children

This is what we demand in all the higher relationships in life

Sincerity is the very blood and breath of friendship

There are some things we cannot be and many things we can not do, but within us, the one thing is within our reach-praying for a heart of sincerity

If you want to see sincerity in its lovelist form, then come to Jesus

He was incapable of a lie

No other people so stirred his anger as men who pretended to be what they were not

God expects every man to be what he claims to be

It was the sincerity of Jesus which drove him unto deadly conflict with the hypocrites

A hypocrite and Jesus cannot live together

Many in our country can't handle the most important truth but demanded it in our lives from those in our lives:

• Spouse
• Doctors
• Stock Brokers
• Courts
• Employers
• Airlines
• News Organizations
• Road Signs

Health, Money, Safety and relationships require truth but not so much for morality or religion? why?

Usually more volitional objection not intellectual - don't want to be held accountable

We need to answer four questions about truth:
What is truth?
Can truth be known?
Can truth about God known?
Who cares about truth?