God Speaks
Deu 18:15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
Deu 18:16 For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, "Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die."
Deu 18:17 The LORD said to me: "What they say is good.
Deu 18:18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.
Deu 18:19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.
At Mount Sinai God had spoken to the people in thunder and lightning, out of the midst of the fire and thick darkness. Every word made their ears tingle and their hearts tremble, so that the whole congregation was ready to die with fear. In this fright, they begged that God would not speak to them in this manner any more, but that he would speak to them by men like themselves, by Moses now, and afterwards by other prophets like unto him. “Well,” says God, “it shall be so; they shall be spoken to by men, whose terrors shall not make them afraid;” and, to crown the favor beyond what they were able to ask or think, in the fullness of time the Word itself was made flesh, and they saw his glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, not, as at Mount Sinai, full of majesty and terror, but full of grace and truth, John_1:14. Thus, in answer to the request of those who were struck with amazement by the law, God promised the incarnation of his Son, though we may suppose it far from the thoughts of those that made that request.
Q.1 What is the outstanding intent in vs.15?
Q.2 Why did the people not want to hear God speak anymore?
Q.3 What is the outstanding intent in vs.18?
Q.4 Is vs. 19 to be considered a warning?
Who is listening?
Titus 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Mankind, from the first moment of creation, has been at odds with the laws of God. Adam and Eve were the first two miscreants. Since that time mankind has developed weapons of destruction, one generation after another, until finally we now have the capacity to actually destroy the earth. God’s creation. The words of God are too condemning too true and too accurate about how we live. We are afraid of God, so God gave us prophets and ministers who are more comfortable to live with, who speak out of love and kindness through his leading us. Through Jesus God has given us a way of life from which we might escape his terrible wrath and he (Jesus ) has offered his life for us as a ransom for our sins.
Q.1 Is this verse a description of any part of humanity in our day and time?
Q.2 Who or what is to blame for the lawless behavior of those who oppose God?
Q.3 What is to become of us as a society if we do not listen to God’s warnings ?
Pg.2
Who hears?
Titus 3:4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
This is but one of the many provisions God has made since creation that have been ordered to accommodate mankind’s failure to abide God’s law. And since the first time God had to shed blood to cover the sin of Adam and Eve, the scarlet thread of redemption leads us all the way through the bible to this the very peak of our existence. It is a reference to being born again, a spiritual re birth which changes our carnal nature to a Christian nature. A nature driven by love for God because of what Jesus Christ has done.
Q.1 What things change when Jesus comes into our hearts?
Q.2 Isn’t it our decision that causes us to be righteous, and isn’t that how it starts?
Q.3 Can we explain the phrase in vs. 5 “ washing of rebirth and renewal by the holy spirit”?
Q.4 How does the Holy Spirit work in the soul of mankind?
Q.5 Justified by his Grace, what does that mean?
It’s all about conflict
Psalm 33:10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Even today our worlds collide, we have enemies, they have enemies, and all are ruled by leaders who are all subject to corruption. There is no real peace except the love of Jesus Christ be in our soul. And that is delivered to all who earnestly seek his saving grace for their life, and are born again in spirit.
Q.1 “Gone With The Wind”& “War And Peace” Two great novels what are your thoughts?
Q.2 Do we find it difficult to be righteous in all our daily activity?
Q.3 Why will being righteous in all our life not proffer our salvation?
Q.4 Can we actually believe this statement in vs. 10? Can you cite an example?
Q.6 Can we get beyond eternal conflict, or must there always be animosity?
Q.7 What is meant by “ the purposes of his heart” in vs. 11?
Pg.3
God is everywhere, all the time
Psalm 33: 12, Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13 From Heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind. 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth--15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16, No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Not Israel only, but the Gentiles also; not all mankind, but a peculiar people, whom the Lord has chosen out of the world to be his possession, All the motions and operations of the souls of men, which no mortals know but themselves, God knows better than they do. Their hearts, as well as their times, are all in his hand. We are to give to him the glory of his special grace. All human devices for the salvation of our souls are vain; but the Lord's watchful eye is over those whose conscientious fear of his name proceeds from a believing hope in his mercy. In difficulties they shall be helped; in dangers they shall not receive any real damage. Those that fear God and his wrath, must hope in God and his mercy. There is no flying from him, but flying to him only, one may run but cannot hide. If we make God's favor sure towards us, then we need not fear whatever is against us.
Q.1 What do you think of when reading Vs. 12?
Q.2 In vs. 13, Is the Psalmist telling us not just the Jews, and the Gentiles but all mankind?
Q.3 Is vs. 13 a threat or a fact?
Q.4 What is the purpose for the statements in vs. 16 & 17?
Q.5 Can you think of some examples from the past?
A new heart
Ezekiel 11:19
And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
Deu 30:6 The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
It is promised, that God will give them one heart; a heart firmly fixed for God, and not wavering. All who are made holy have a new spirit, a new temper and dispositions; they act from new principles, walk by new rules, and aim at new ends. A new name, or a new face, will not serve without a new spirit. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
Q.1 Does this exhibit a new birth, a born again spirit?
Q.2 In this new condition can we worship other gods, money power pride etc.?
Q.3 What does the writer mean “God will circumcise your heart”?
Opening Prayer
Jesus our savior, and our intercessor, we pray your blessing on this study. We pray that you would put the words and their meaning into our hearts and minds, those things that you would have us learn from this study. We pray that no word be spoken contrary to your will, and that all here will be subject to your guiding Spirit. Leave each one of us with a proper understanding of what your will is for our life. We pray that this study tonight will impart to us a better understanding about the “Born Again” questions we may have. We ask your blessing on all families represented here tonight and bless all those who are in the thoughts and prayers of those who seek thee tonight. These things we ask in your Holy name Jesus, AMEN
This is the 7th study in our attempt to learn from Jesus’ ministry as he lived and taught it on this earth. This study gives us the full intention of God as to our salvation and how to become a “Born Again Christian. Our study tonight will examine how this second birth comes about and what we as Christians must do to reach this level of faith and belief. And next week, we will be introduced to the way Jesus answers Nicodemus when he asks How can this happen?
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, God of our salvation. It is you through your Son Jesus who has made us and not we ourselves. We sometimes become so wrapped up in our own web of concerns that we forget that it is You through your Son Jesus who really is in control of our world. As people of God who seek to know more about how it is that we are to live as Christians, we pray that you will allow your Holy Spirit to come into our hearts and give us that new birth of which Jesus speaks. In the Name of Jesus we pray. AMEN
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