Extreme Obedience - Further Study Questions.

This past Sunday's lesson was titled Extreme Obedience. Take time to continue studying, considering and applying the lesson through the following questions and Scripture passages.

Read and review Genesis 22. What observations do you make from this passage?

Put yourself in Abraham’s position, how would you have responded to such a test of faith and obedience?

Often we forget about Sarah. How do you think she would have responded to her husband’s belief in God and desire to obey God?

Do you find your life to be a life of obedience to God? Why or why not?

Do you ever find yourself trying really hard to obey God?

Explain what Charles Spurgeon meant when he once stated that…

            Faith is the morning star to obedience.

Let’s imagine what Abraham’s day to day life must have been like. How do you think Abraham got to the point to where he was able to believe God so deeply that he was willing to sacrifice his son (see Hebrews 11:17-19)? Was his ability to believe an immediate change in his life? Did his ability to believe grow over time? Did his ability to believe grow through individual choices made? What are your thoughts?

Obedience without belief in God’s promises leads to rebellion. Why is this the so?

Do you think there is ever a time when obedience is required without the foundation of belief or faith in what God is doing?

Based upon your obedience to God, is your faith dead? See James 2:26.

Take time to read and consider the following passages. What do these passages tell us about Abraham?

Romans 4

Acts 7:2-8

Galatians 3

Hebrews 6:13-15

Hebrews 11:8-19

           

            James 2:20-24

The true test of our faith is when obedience is required in a difficult situation. Can you recall any times in your life when you found it difficult to obey because of difficult circumstances? Maybe you’re in a difficult circumstance even now?

What, in your life, is challenging your obedience to God? What do you need to surrender to God?

Total obedience is not only measured by what you surrender to God; God also takes into account what you keep for yourself. Can God get close to the most important things in your life: your possessions, business, plans and dreams, and relationships? Sometimes the supreme test of your faith will be a matter of putting obedience to God above something you have lived for all of our lives. Sometimes it will involve something that might, to everyone else, seem foolish and ridiculous. Are you willing to be obedient to God in every area of your life?

What are some ways you can begin learning to believe God more? Give specific examples you can put into action this week.

Learning to Believe the Promises of God - Further Study Questions

This past Sunday's lesson was titled Learning to Believe the Promises of God. Take time to continue studying, considering and applying the lesson through the following questions and Scripture passages.

The Impact Statement this week was, “God can be trusted to fulfill His promises to us.”  On a scale from 1-10 with 1 being I don’t believe and 10 being I believe on all levels, how would you rate your overall faith in regards to God’s promises?

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                  1                                           5                                                10

On Sunday, Mike Grine said that fear is a result of not trusting God in a given area.  What areas of your life would you say you have fear?  Is that fear a direct result of not trusting God?  Meditate on that thought for a few minutes. Ask God to reveal His plan for your life as it relates to this area of fear.

Abram had established a pattern with God by not believing, hearing from God to reemphasize a particular promise and then believing again. Is this true of your life? What steps could you take to break this cycle?

What are some of the promises in the Bible that you are absolutely trusting God for? Write down the references and create a 3x5 card for each one. Make sure that you have it thoroughly memorized in your mind, so you can utilize it when needed.

Name some promises in your life that you know God has made but you have not seen them fulfilled yet. Ask yourself why haven’t they been fulfilled? Are you still trusting God to make good on them? Pray and ask Him for faith to continue to trust Him.

Do a Bible search and write down the names of people that God made a promise to and then later fulfilled that promise to that person.

Write down a list of everyday items that you find yourself trusting in to do something for you  (i.e.  a light switch, your ignition in your car, your bank account balance). After writing down these items, reflect on how much trust you place in them and how little you trust God to fulfill His promises to you. Confess any unbelief you have to Him and ask Him to give you more faith to believe.

Go Back - Further Study Questions.

This past Sunday's lesson was titled Go Back. Take time to continue studying, considering and applying the lesson through the following questions and Scripture passages.

In your day to day life, are you ever required to take a test? For example, have you ever had to take a certification test for your job? Why are you required to take tests in various areas of your occupation or day to day life?

Spiritually thinking, can you recall a time in your life when your faith was tested. How did you respond to this time of testing?

Go back and read Genesis 12:6-20. How did Abraham respond to his faith being tested? Put yourself in Abraham’s position, how do you think you would have responded?

Is there a difference between God testing your faith and God disciplining you? Why is it important to make and remember this distinction? Should you respond differently to God’s testing as compared to God’s discipline?

There are times when your faith will be tested. Take time to read through and study what the following passages tell about faith, testing, learning to trust and your walk with Jesus…

            Deuteronomy 13:3

           

            Luke 8:13

           

            Proverbs 17:3

           

            1 Thessalonians 2:4

           

            Matthew 14:22-33

           

            Job 7:18

           

            1 Peter 1:6-7

           

            Isaiah 48:10

           

            Romans 5:3-4

           

            Job 23:10

Take time to consider and meditate on James 1:2-18. How is this passage an encouragement during times when it is difficult to respond in faith?

As you find yourself in the midst of testing, the lesson on Sunday focused on going back and remembering the faithfulness of God. List out specific ways you’ve seen God’s faithfulness in your life in the past. Go ahead; make the list as long as possible.

What is the significance of repentance when you find yourself in the midst of failed faith?

While you’re in the midst of testing, it is important to not ask the question, “How can I get out of this,” but rather “What can I get out of this?” Think back to some of the testing experiences you’ve gone through. What have you gotten out of them?

How will you construct “altars” which will serve as reminders of God’s faithfulness. These “altars” will allow you to go back before going forward in your faith.

What are some daily practices you can put into place to help strengthen your faith?

As testing comes into your life, how will you choose to respond in faith?

Prepare for the next lesson in this series by reading Genesis 15. Go ahead and make your own observations and life applications.

Blind Faith - Further Study Questions.

This past Sunday's lesson was titled Blind Faith. Take time to continue studying, considering and applying the lesson through the following questions and Scripture passages.

Think through the events of your day when you put faith into practice outside of your spiritual life. For example, when you drove your car today, you had faith in the mechanic that he fixed your brakes properly. What are some other examples of faith you can think of?

What barriers cause you to have difficulty in placing your faith in God in all areas of your life?

Everyone has faith. What is important is identifying what or who your faith is in. What or who is the object of your faith? Is your faith truly in God for all of your life’s circumstances or have you set-up other “gods” in which you’ve entrusted areas of your life? Prayerfully identify those “gods”.

What do you know about God that gives you confidence that your faith is well placed in Him?

Read Genesis 11:27-12:9. Reconsider the observations we made on Sunday regarding Abraham’s faith. What other observations can you discover within this passage? How might you apply these observations to your life?

Learning to live a life of faith is foundational to a Christian’s daily walk with Jesus. Take time to read through and study what the following passages tell us about faith, trusting God and your walk with Jesus…

            Ephesians 2:8-9

            Romans 1:16-17

            2 Corinthians 5:7

            Colossians 2:6-7

            Matthew 6:30

            Hebrews 11:1

            Romans 14:23

            Hebrews 4:2-3

            Hebrews 11:6

Read and consider Hebrews 11. What observations do you make regarding faith and the men and women of faith listed?

By faith, have you placed your eternal spiritual condition in what Jesus has done for you on the cross? Have you, by faith, received the forgiveness of your sins (wrong doings against God)? Have you turned over the leadership of your life to Jesus and Jesus alone? If not, what barriers are holding you back from making this most important decision in your life?

Do you sense God calling you to take another step forward in faith? In what way might God be calling you? What is holding you back from moving forward with God to where He wants you to go?

What are some daily practices you can put in place in your life to help deepen your faith in God?

On Sunday we identified that a life of faith puts us in a position to be a blessing to others. How will you be a blessing to others today based upon your faith?

On Sunday we identified that faith leads us to worship of God. How will you worship God today based upon your faith in Him?

In preparation for next Sunday’s lesson, read Genesis 12:10-13:4. Take time to make observations from this passage.

Write out a prayer to God, asking Him to help strengthen and deepen your faith in Him.