Chapter 1

Psalm 19:1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice [b] goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.b

Do we have Spiritual amnesia? Are we programmed to think about what we do not have instead of thinking about what we have?

How do we learn to know him? What are the attributes of God? God is Holy – He already has an identity “I Am who I am” (Ex. 3:14) He is perfect but set apart. We cannot exaggerate how awesome is our God. God is Eternal God exist outside of time. God will not be limited by our standards. “God is so much bigger, so far beyond our time-encased, air/food/sleep- dependent lives.” (F. Chan Pg. 32)

What are the attributes of God? God is all-knowing God knows who we are and what we are about. Psalm 139:7-10 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

What are the attributes of God? God is fair and Just His standard for justice is set by him. When you get your own universe you get to make the rules. Pride… we make excuses but God hates pride.

Chapter 2

“It implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives” “Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace towards others, or our tight grip of control”

1. God Creates the World (were you alive then?) 2. People rebel against God 3. God Floods the World 4. God singles out a 99 year old man named Abram (did you have anything to do with this?) 5. Next God uses ordinary men to accomplish his will (Joseph and Moses…) 6. God sends Judges and prophets 7. God sends his Son 8. Son returns to God 9. Lastly God sits on the Throne in Heaven with His people

Why do we live as though it is about us?

1 Cor 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or what ever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1. Get over yourself 2. Point to God 3. Give up control 4. Prepare yourself 5. Realize the truth of your life. 6. Trust God Completely 7. Be Thankful

Chapter 3

What is wrong with his view of God? What changed his view?

“…I came to understand that my desire for my children is only a faint echo of God’s great love for me and for every person He made”(P. 55).

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. 23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. Should people be afraid of God?

“But for a long time, I narrowly focused on his fearsomeness to the exclusion of His great and abounding love.”

How would you respond to this moment of God touching your mouth?

God will ensure my success in accordance with His plan, not mine. God’s mercy is free, yet a costly gift. It cannot be earned. God doesn’t need me or you. Yet he wants us, chooses us, even considers us His inheritance.

Chapter 4

If you were in charge of planning a church event, how would people decide whether it was a success? A. Numbers B. Responses C. New Contacts

Large crowds… Parables… So That…

Which one are we?

Are you choking it out slowly by spending too time, energy, money, and thought on the things of this world? Do you feel comfortable saying, “I want to know Christ and the power of …?”

Do the words half-hearted, lukewarm, and partially committed fit better?

1.Do lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly? Why? Isa. 29:13 2.Do lukewarm people give to charity? Until what? 1 Chron. 21:24 Luke 21:1-4

3.Do lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict? 4.Do they try to fit in with the church and the world? 5.Do they care more about what people think than what God thinks? Luke 6:26, Rev. 3:1, Matt. 23:5-7

6.Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they just don’t want to face the punishment. They don’t really believe that the new life that Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one. John 10:10 Rom 6:1-2

7.Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. 8.They call “radical” what Jesus expected of all his followers. James 1:22 James 4:17 Matt. 21:28-31

9.Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They worry about two things… Matt 10:32-33

10.Lukewarm people compare themselves to others Luke 18: Lukewarm people love Jesus partially. “Let me first go bury…” “say goodbye first…” “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Would they change the rules for me if I join? I don’t want to run or train.

Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

“If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?” (p.100)

Does this passage say that when we love, we’re free? If so why?

Why do so few people genuinely find joy and pleasure in their relationship with God? Do you ever feel like you owe God and must pay him back in the way that you live? Should you?

Try Harder?

He died so that we could change. How? Let him change you!

In the same way you have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin. Running and eating Twinkies. You have to stop to eat them…

Tell Him how you feel and ask Him to Change you