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Sunday 06/21/20
Series: Do we REALLY believe?
MESSAGE: Thinking through Suffering …a Dialogue
Download – THOUGHTS & QUESTIONS
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Thinking through Suffering …a Dialogue
This week we began discussions working through the questions listed below. We only covered the first 2, so we will continue for the next several weeks until we have covered all of them.
Hopefully the dialogue format will help you think through these questions and so help solidify much of what we have been teaching since the beginning of the year.
Key passages we’ve covered which touch on these topics:
- 2Cor. 4:6-11 – Suffering, Jesus formed in us
- Ephesians 1:1-11 – holy, blameless, in Christ, Created for good works
- Ephesians 1:19-22 – Temple, tabernacle, dwelling place
- Phil. 3:7-14 – Knowing Him, faith, maturity in Christ
- James 1:2-4 – Trials
- James 1:12-18 – Temptations, life
- James 2:18&20 – Faith, works
- 1Peter 1:6-9 – Trials, soul salvation, faith
- 1Peter 4:12-19 – Trials, glory, Christian suffering
- Heb. 10:13 – Temptations
- Heb. 10:35-39 – Need for faith, patience, life
- Heb. 12:1-14 – sin, weights, maturity, chastening, righteousness, holiness
One message which touched on MUCH of these things was ‘Suffering…who for the Joy’.
Thoughts & Questions:
Explain your understanding of the nature and purpose of suffering.
Make the most complete list you are able to, of scriptural synonyms for suffering.
Why is agreement with God so important?
What is Life and why does God want that WITH you?
What does it mean that you and I are God’s temple?
What does it mean when the scriptures tell you that you are being prepared TO BE a dwelling place for God in the spirit forever?
What is testing?
What is the difference between tests, trials and temptations?
What is the PURPOSE of tests?
What is the PURPOSE of trials?
What is the PURPOSE of temptations?
What part does the original fall of man play in all of this?
What does all of this have to do with God’s intentions for us in eternity?
If you were going to have to explain the role suffering plays in forming Christ in you to a Sunday School of 6th graders…how would you explain it?
- What questions do you suppose they might ask?
- How would you answer those questions?
What is the difference between the body, soul and spirit?
Describe how the Bible explains the salvation AND the timing of salvation for each of these. [Body – Soul – Spirit]
What is a pure heart?
What does that have to do with Loving God with all of your heart?
What is holiness?
Write down a list of synonyms for holiness.
What does holiness have to do with a pure heart?
What are some other ways of saying ‘soul salvation’?
(Example: Christ in you)
What does faith have to do with the salvation of our souls?
- What are you believing?
- Why are you believing it?
The scriptures tell us that we are to lay aside every weight and the sin that does so easily thwart our progress in Christ.
Describe the difference between a weight and a sin.
I imagine you are quite familiar with your sins, but I want you to spend a little time thinking and praying through what are the things which serve as weights in your life that slow down or put an absolute stop to your progress in Christ.
What are you doing ON PURPOSE to address your sins and weights?
Are you actively believing God regarding Christ being formed in you?
Closing encouragement:
Get before God and get a game plan to address these things and make it difficult to slip back into inactivity.
I hope this message will bless you richly…not because I taught it, but because it reveals Christ. He alone is our blessing and if in any way – whether big or small, 100% accurate or even just partially so – I have revealed our great God and Savior to you in a relationally knowable way, then this was time well spent on both our parts.
We at Living Grace Fellowship encourage you to place your trust in Jesus Christ, deliberately choosing Him and bowing the knee to Him as your Master and Lord, so as to come to realize Him as your Savior.
You have a special place in God’s family & kingdom. The fact that you exist… that you are His creation, says you were in His heart, you are His delight!
If you do not know Him, please reach out to us. Give us a call at the number located on every page of this website or use our ‘Contact Us‘ page. We would be deeply honored, if you gave us the privilege of introducing you to the Lord. Neither money nor attendance at our church will EVER be mentioned.
If you HAVE been spiritually fed by this ministry and WANT to give, we truly appreciate that and you may do so here, but please understand that all the outreaches of this ministry are FREE for you and anyone to enjoy at no cost.
Blessings!