God-Centered Living PDF

- GOD-CENTERED LIVING enesis is the record of God accomplishing His purp Part of the Book Of G. oses thro Ab h m It is not the record ofAbraham's w...

- GOD-CENTERED LIVING enesis is the record of God accomplishing His purp Part of the Book Of G. oses thro Ab h m It is not the record ofAbraham's walk with God. Can you see the diffi u~ ra a. f.. h. erenc To know and do God's r 1ocus.'The 1ocu r s of. the Bible is God.The essence.. o sm.1s as 1ft from God -centeredne1n will, you must deny to self-centeredness. The essence of salvation is denymg. self instead of aflirrnin tis selfand return to a We must deny ourselves and return to God-centeredness m our lives.Then God ;asitlf. God-centered life. in a place where He will accomplish His eternal purposes through us. Ill AGod-Centered Life Places confidence in God Depends on God and His ability and provision Focuses on God and His activity Is humble before God Denies self Seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness Seeks God's perspective in every circumstance Chooses holy and godly living 0 In your own words, write definitions of the following terms. Self-centered: -------------------- God-centered: ----------------- e In each pair of biblical examples, write G before the one that illus trates God-centeredness. Write S before the one that illustrates self-centeredness. - la. God placed Adam and Eve in a beautiful, bountiful garden. He told them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve saw th at the fr u1t· was pleasing to the eye and desirable for gainin g w1s· d0t~, so ~he ~te it _(see Gen. 2: 16-17; 3: 1-7). her - 1b. Potiphar s wife daily begged Joseph to go to bed with her. He cold he. could not do sueh a w1c ked thmg · and sm God When sh(. agamst. to force h'im, J1e fl ed the room and went to pnson tned rather thail yield to temptation (st·e Gen. 39). 32... ► UNIT 2 GOD'S PLANS VERSUS OUR PLANS Who delivered the children of Israel from Egypt-Moses or God? God did. God chose to bring Moses into a relationship with Himself so that He [God] could deliver Understanding what Israel. Did Moses ever try to take matters into his own hands? He did!. God is about to do In Exodus 2: 11-15 Moses killed an Egyptian who had struck a Hebrew. What where I am is more might have happened if Moses had tried to deliver the children of Israel through important than a human approach? Thousands of his countrymen would have been slain in battle. telling God what Moses tried to personally deliver one Israelite, and that cost him 40 years of exile in I want to do for Him. Midian working as a shepherd and reorienting his life to God-centered living. When God delivered the children of Israel, how many Israelite lives were lost? None. In the process God even led the Egyptians to give the Israelites their gold, silver, and clothes. Egypt was plundered, the Egyptian army was destroyed, and the Israelites Exodus 2: 11-15 did not lose a single person. "Years later, after Moses had Why do we not realize that it is always best to do things God's way? We cause grown up, he went out to his some of the wreck and ruin in our churches because we have a plan.We implement own people and observed the plan and accomplish what we can do. We ask God to bless our plans, and then we their forced labor. He saw an promise to give Him the glory when He does.Yet God is not glorified by making our Egyptian striki ng a Hebrew, plans succeed. He receives glory when His will is done, His way. Christ is the Head one of his people. Looking of the body-the church. What a difference it would make if we obeyed Christ as all around and seeing no the Head of that body! He could accomplish more in six months through a people one, he struck the Egyptian yielded to Him than they could do in 60 years without Him. dead and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews FOLLOWING GOD'S WAYS fighting. He asked the one 0 Read the following Scripture and look for God's response to those who will not follow His ways. Then answer the questions that follow. in the wrong, 'Why are you attacking your neighbor?' 'Who made you a "I am the LORD your God, commander and judge over who brought you up from the land of Egypt. us?' the man replied. 'Are Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. you planning to kill me as But my people did not listen to my voice; you killed the Egyptian?' Israel did not obey me. Then Moses became So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts afraid and thought, 'What to follow their own plans" (Ps. 81:10-12). I did is certainly known.' When Pharaoh heard a. What had God done for Israel? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ about this, hetried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from b. What did God promise His people? c. How did the people respond? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Pharaoh and went to live in d. What did God do? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ the land of Midian." A V N d h ow rea t e nex t two verses to see what could have been true for Israel. JS  - EXPERIENCING GOD "If only my people would listen to me and Israel would follow my ways, I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes " (Ps. 81 :13-14). What could have been true if Israel had listened to and followed God? e Locate in your Bible and read Hebrews 3:7-19. Why were the children of Israel denied entrance into the promised land? We adjust our lives to God so He will do through us what He wants to accomplish. We are His God is not our servant to adjust His activity to our plans. We are His servants, and We servants, and we adjust our lives to what He is about to do. If we do not submit, God will allow us to follow our own devices. In following them, however, we will never experience what adjust our lives God wanted to do on our behalf or through us for others. to what He is God brought Israel out of Egypt with many miraculous signs and wonders. Wouldn't you think the Hebrews would trust in every circumstance after that?When about to do. they arrived in the promised land, however, they did not trust Hirn to conquer it for them.As a result they spent the next 40 years wandering in the wilderness. In Psalm 81 God reminded Israel that He would have conquered their enemies quickly if they had only followed His plans rather than trusting in their own strength and wisdom. 0 Answer the following questions. a. In your own words, describe how God works. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ b. Why are people satisfied to pursue their plans when God has so much more for them to experience? YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT GOD IS ABOUT TO DO One year denominational leaders came to our city to discuss long-range plans for an emphasis we had scheduled in the metropolitan area. Top denominational executives were going to work with us to achieve the goals we had set. Yet I was asking myself, What if God calls our nation to judgment before that time? I realized how much I needed to know what God had in mind for my city. Planning what I wanted to do in the future would have been irrelevant if God intended to do something else. When God called the prophets, He often had a twofold message. God's fir 5c desire was "Call the people to return to Me." If the people failed to respond, they needed to hear God's second message: "Let them know that they are closer to jud~- ment than they have ever been." God's word to the prophet was "Tell the people: th15 is what I have done. This is what I am doing right now. This is what I am about to do. Then call them to respond." Do you suppose it was crucial for the prophets to understand what God was preparing to do? When God was about to bring a devastating judgment on Jerusa; lem and destroy the entire city, was it important to know what God was about to do. Certainly! 36 EXPERIENCING GOD t you and talks to you. But if you are self-centered it through you! He comes O ,.. , Y% " d , h.10k I have time. I don t thmk I am able to do 1t. And I ,, Understanding what God may respond I on t t ' h t h ppensi The focus is on self. The moment you sense God. is about to do where I am Do you see w a a... is.. 1:c. give Him an extensive list of reasons He has enlisted the Wr is more important than movmg m your me, you.... ong. · m · converuent (see Ex. 3.11, 4.1). You always need to seek G d' telling God what I want person or the time 1s.. os · G d kn ws you can't do it! He wants to do 1t Himself through you. to do for Him. perspective. o o · to day ,s 1esson. p ray and ask God to 1 dentify one or more statements or Scriptures R eview. He wants you to understand, learn, or practice. Underline them. Then respond to the folloWU1g. Reword the statement or Scripture What does God want you to do What was the most meaningful state- into a prayer of response to God. in response to today's study? ment or Scripture you read today? GOD TAKES THE INITIATIVE I was working at my office one day when I received a letter from a woman who told me about an expectant mother who was attending an Experiencing God class until she God's revelation of His suffered a miscarriage. She was devastated and quit attending the study, as well as the activity is an invitation church services. The woman writing the letter included the young woman's phone for you to join Him. number. I sensed it was God's invitation. I called the woman. I told her that God still loved her. We prayed and wept together. I learned later that she rejoined the group and her church. God blessed her with several more children and led her to begin a ministry in her church for women who suffered the loss of children. I have learned Philippians 2: 13 that as God's servant, I must always be ready for my next assignment. "It is God whois worki ng Throughout Scripture God takes the initiative. When He comes to people, He in you both to will and to reveals Himself and His activity.That revelation is always an invitation for people to adjust work accordingto his good their lives to God. None of the people God encountered could remain the same after- purpose." ward. They had to make major adjustinents in their lives to walk obediently with Him. God is the Sovereign Lord. Strive to keep your life God-centered because He is the One who sets the agenda. He is always the One who takes the initiative to accom- plish what He wants to do. When you are God-centered, even the desires to do th e things that please Him come from God's activity in your life (see Phil. 2:13). What often happens when we see God at work? We immediately become self- centered rather than God-centered. We must reorient our lives to God. We should learn to see things from His perspective.We need to allow Him to develop His character in us.W~ must let Him reveal His thoughts to us. Only then can we gain a proper perspective on Lik. 38 _j  UNIT 2 God's. revelation of H 1's act1v1ty 1s · · H'1m. If you keep · an invitation for you to JOlll your life God-centered, you will immediately join His activity. When you see God at work a~ou nd you ,_your heart will leap within you and you will say, "Thank You, Father, for lettmg me be mvolved where You are." 0 Answer the following questions. a. Write out in your own words how people become involved in God's work. b. Which of the following are ways God may reveal His plan or purpose to you? Check all that apply. 0 (1) He lets me see where He is already working around me. 0 (2) He speaks to me through Scripture and impresses on me a practical. application of the truth to my life. 0 (3) He gives me an earnest desire that grows stronger as I pray. 0 (4) He creates circumstances around me that open a door of opportunity. God always takes the initiative. He does not wait to see what we want to do for Him. After He has taken the initiative to encounter us, He waits until we respond to Him by making ourselves available to Him. In question b, all four are ways God may reveal His plans to you. There are others as well. The last two (3 and 4), however, must be carefully watched.A self-centered life tends to confuse its selfish desire with God's will. In addition, circumstances do not always indicate a clear direction from God. Open and closed doors do not always indicate God's guidance. Check to see that prayer, the Scriptures, and circumstances agree on the direction you sense God leading you. LEARNING TO WALK WITH GOD You may be thinking, That all sounds good, but I need prqctical help in learning how to apply these concepts. In every situation God demands that you depend on Him rather than a method. The key is not a method but a relationship with God. Let me illustrate by telling you about someone who learned to walk with God by prayer and faith. George Mi.iller, a minister in England during the 19th century, was concerned that God's people had become discouraged. They no longer expected God to do anything unusual in their midst. They were not trusting God to answer their prayers. They had little faith. God led Muller to pray. Muller's prayers were for God to lead him to a work people could only explain as an act of God. Miiller wanted people to learn that God was a faithful, prayer-answering God. He discovered Psalm 81:10, which you read in yesterday's lesson:"Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." God led him in a walk of faith that became an outstanding testimony of faith to all who heard his story. Whenever Muller had a need in his life or ministry, he would pray to God about it but tell no one else.. He wanted everyone to know that God had provided for the need in answer to prayer and faith. During his ministry in Bristol, Muller started the Scriptural Knowledge Institute for the distribution of Scripture and for religious education. He also began an orphanage. By the time of Muller's death, God had used him to build four orphan houses that cared for 2,000 children at a time. The orphan- ages had provided for more than 10,000 children. He had distributed more than eight million dollars that had been given to him in answer to prayer.Yet when he died at 93, his own worldly possessions were valued at eight hundred dollars. 1 How did Muller know and do God's will? 39 ,\ ti EXPERIENCING GOD GOD SPEAKS TO HlS PEOPLt v k to a group of young pastors.When I finished the first session xears ago 1 spo e , a Past0 d d sai'd "I vowed to God I would never again listen to a man lik 1 took me as1 e an ,.. ey God has not changed. You talk as though God is personal and talks to_you. I JUSt despise that." %. He still speaks to 1 asked him," Are you having difficulty lettmg God speak to you?" He and 1talked His people. and before long we were ~n ~u~ knees. He wept and _thanked God that He had spoken' to him. Don't let anyone mtirrudate you about hearmg from God. 0 Read the following Scriptures and answer the questions that follow. Hebrews 1:1-2-"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the proph- ets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son." John 14:26-"The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you." John 16:13-14-"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you:' John 8:47-"The one who is from God listens to God's words. This is why you don't listen, because you are not from God." a. In the Old Testament ("times past"), how and through whom did God speakl b. ln New Testament times ("these last days"), how did God speak? c. In John 14:26, whom did Jesus promise the Father would send in His name? d.What is the work of the Holy Spirit as described in John 14:26; 16:13-14? e. Who is the one who hears what God says? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ f. What does John 8:47 say about a person who does not hear what God says? 9 write a summary in the margin of what these Scriptures say about God's speaking. 42  UN IT 2 In the Old Testa~1ent God spoke at many times and in a variety of ways. Through Jesus, G~d spoke to His p~ople. Now God speaks through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will teach you all thmgs, call to your memory the things Jesus said, guide you into all truth, speak what He hears from the Father, tell you what is yet to come, and glorify Christ as He reveals Christ to you. Does God really speak to people today? Will He reveal to you where He is work- ing so you can join Him?Yes! God has not changed. He still speaks to people. If you have trouble hearing God speak, you are in trouble at the heart of your Christian experience. If you have trouble hearing HEARING GOD'S VOICE God speak, you Sin has so affected us (see Rom. 3:10-11) that we cannot understand God's truth unless the Holy Spirit reveals it. He is the Teacher. When He teaches you the Word of are in trouble God, listen carefully to Hirn and respond to Him. As you pray, watch to see how He at the heart of uses Scripture to confirm God's Word in your heart. Watch what He is doing around you and in your circumstances. The God who is speaking to you as you pray and the your Christian God who is speaking to you in the Scriptures is the God who is also working around experience. you. e Look on the inside back cover at the fourth reality. Then answer the following questions. a. When Jesus returned to heaven, which Person of the Trinity was sent to speak to God's people? Check one. 0 God the Father O Jesus O The Holy Spirit b. What are four ways the Holy Spirit speaks? c. When He speaks, what does He reveal? God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. Later we will study the ways God speaks. I cannot give you a formula, however, and say this is how you can know for certain when God is speaking to you. I will share with you what the Bible says. The Scriptures can encourage you at this point. When God chose to speak to people in the Bible, they knew it was God, and they knew what God was saying. In John 10:2-4,14 Jesus said: "The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The sheep hear his voice. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. Knowing God's I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me." voice comes The key to knowing God's voice is not a formula, nor is it a method you can follow. from an Knowing God's voice comes from an intimate love relationship with God.That is why intimate love those who do not have the relationship Qohn 8:47) do not hear what God is saying. You must watch to see how God uniquely communicates with you. You will not be relationship able to rely on other people's walks with God.You will have to depend on God alone. with God. Your relationship with Him is crucial. 43  UN I T 2. one or more statements or scr1ptures Review today's lesson p ray an d ask God to 1dent1fy. He nd wants you to u erstand, learn, or practice. Underline them. Then respond to the following. What was the most meaningful state- R eword the statement or Scripture What does God want you to do ment or Scripture you read today? into a prayer of response to God. in response to today's study? GOD SPEAKS WITH A PURPOSE We tend to want God to speak to us so He will give us a heart-warming devotional thought to make us feel good for the rest of the day. If you want the God of the God develops universe to speak to you, you need to be ready for Him to reveal what He i~ doing character to match where you are. In Scripture God is not often seen coming and speaking to people just the assignment for conversation's sake. He was always working to accomplish His purposes. When God speaks to you through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, the church, or another way, He has a specific purpose in mind. When God spoke to Abram (see Gen. 12), what was God about to do? He was about to begin building a holy nation. Notice God's timing. Why did God speak to Abram when He did? Because it was then God wanted to start building the nation. The moment Abram knew what God was about to do, he had to adjust his life to God. He had to immediately follow what God said. The moment God speaks to you is the time He wants you to respond to Him. The moment Don't think you have the next three or four months to decide whether it is God's timing. The moment God speaks to you is God's timing. That is why He chooses to God speaks speak when He does. He speaks to His servant when He is ready to move. Otherwise, to you is the He wouldn't speak. As God enters the mainstream of your life, the timing of your response is crucial. When God speaks to you, you need to believe and obey Him. time He wants Do not assume, however, that the moment God calls you, you are prepared for you to respond the assignment. How long was it from the time God spoke to Abram until Isaac, to Him. the child of promise, was born? Twenty-five years (see Gen. 12:4; 21:5)! Why did God wait 25 years? Because it took God 25 years to make Abraham a father suit- able for Isaac. God was concerned not so much about Abram but about founding a nation. The quality of the father will affect the quality of following generations. As goes the father, so go the next several generations. God took time to build Abram into a man of character. Abram immediately began adjusting his life to God's 45 EXPERIENCING GOD ways. He could not wait until Isaac was born and then try to become the kind of father required to raise a patriarch of God's people.... How long was it after God (through Samuel) anointed Da~1d ~ng before David mounted the throne? Maybe 10 or 12 years.What was God domg m the meantiniel He was building David's relationship with Himself. As goes the king, so goes th~ nation.You cannot bypass character. How long was it after the living Lord called the apostle Paul until Paul went on his first missionary journey? Maybe 10 or 11 years. The focus was not on Paul; the focus was on God. God wanted to redeem a lost world, and He wanted to redeern the Gentiles through Paul. God took time to prepare Paul for the assignment. 0 Mark each statement that applies t~ ~ou. , _ a. I read my Bible to be a good Christian, but I don t expect God to speak to me through the Scriptures. b. I seek a word from God so I can be encouraged to have a great day. c. I seek a word from God so I am alert to what He wants to do in and through my life. _ d. When God speaks, I immediately adjust my schedule to respond to what He said. _ e. When God speaks, I wri,te down what He said, but do little about it. We are so oriented to a quick response that we abandon the word from God long before He has developed our character. When God speaks, He has a purpose in mind for our lives. The moment He speaks is the time we need to begin responding to Him. CHARACTER THAT MATCHES THE ASSIGNMENT When God called Abram, He said, "I will make your name great" (Gen. 12:2). That means "I will develop your character to match your assignment." Nothing is more pathetic than having a small character when you have a big assignment. Many of us don't want to give attention to the development of our characters; we just want God to give us a big assignment. Suppose a pastor is waiting for a big church to call him to be their pastor. Then a small church calls and asks,"Will you come and serve bivocationally to help us here in the west side ofWyoming?" "Well, no," the prospective pastor responds. He thinks, I am waitingfor God to give me a significant assignment. I have a lot of education, I can't waste my life by working a secular job when I want to serve in a church full-time. I think I deserve something much more s11bsta11tial than that. How would you classify that response? Check one. Cl God-centered O Self-centered Do you see how self-centered that viewpoint is? Human reasoning will not give you God's perspective. If you can't be faithful in a little, God will not give you a larger assignment. He may want to adjust your life and character in smaller assignments first to prepare you for the larger ones. That is where God starts to work. When you make the adjustments and start to obey Him, you come to know Him by experience. This is the g~al of God's a~tivity in your life-that you come to know Him. Do you want to experience God mightily working in and through your life? Then adjust your life to 46