Living Free: By Beth Moore
Lesson 6:Enjoying God's Presence
PRINTS OF HIS PRESENCE
Who (or what kind of person) do you enjoy spending time with? ______________
Do you consider the enjoyment of someone's presence a routine part of life? _________
When you pass through the waters. I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, our God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:2-3)
What does this passage promise? What does it not promise? __________________
Because you are having struggles does not mean that you are not enjoying God's presence.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)
Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)
We cannot escape God, but we do not always sense His presence.
How can the assurance of God's presence quiet our fears? ________________
God's presence is absolutely unchanging, but the evidence of His presence varies. Sometimes God may purposely alter the evidences of His presence to bring the most benefit from our experience. We may receive the most benefit from seeing many visible prints of His invisible hands during a difficult season. Other times we may profit most from seeing fewer evidences. God does not love us less when He gives us fewer evidences. He simply desires to grow us up and teach us to walk by faith.
The point is not that we have nothing to fear, but that His presence is the basis for our courage.
Christ does not always immediately calm the storm, but He is always willing to calm His child on the basis of His presence. "Don't worry! I know the winds are raging and the waves are high, but I am God over both. If I let them continue to swell, it's because I want you to see Me walk on the water." We may never enjoy the storms, but we can learn to enjoy God's presence in the storm.
THE JOY OF RELATIONSHIP
Do you enjoy God? If not, there are two possibilities:
1. You might still not believe that God really satisfies (benefits 1 and 3).
2. It could be Satan's efforts to keep you from being aware of God's presence.
Guilt experienced before we've repented on a specific sin is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Guilt experienced after repentance is the condemnation of the evil one...All feelings aside.
THE OBSTACLE OF LEGALISM
Is God hypercritical? Why might we want to spend time with someone who we think will pick us apart? ______________________________________________
The Lord says: These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. (Isaiah 29:13)
Does the word legalism appear in scripture? ___________________
List some illustrations of legalism from scripture. ______________________
Legalism makes love unconditional. Legalists have a list of requirements that must be met before God can approve of and love people.
What dilemna did the early church leaders face when they began sharing the Gospel with Gentiles? _______________________________
How do we see legalism in our own lives or in others' lives? Name some regulations your inner "legalist" wants to demand of others or yourself? ______________________
FAITH WORKS!
The testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:3-4)
We cannot please God or find freedom in rule-keeping. Why does self-generated righteousness appeal to us? ___________________________
How do we avoid the trap of being legalistic? _______________________
LEGALISM RESULTS WHEN 3 CONDITIONS OCCUR:
1. REGULATIONS REPLACE RELATIONSHIP
How did the Pharisees react when Jesus healed on the Sabbath? ________________
Why was it okay for Jesus to heal on the Sabbath? _______________________
What was the greatest benefit Christ could bring to those He healed? _____________
The Pharisees had a superficial understanding of God and no enjoyment of His presence.
The other extreme is lax discipleship. Explain. ___________________________
2. WHEN MISCROSCOPES REPLACE MIRRORS
Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" (Matthew 12:10)
Modern-day Pharisees also look for reasons to accuse others. They look to the faults of others because their own relationship with God is lacking.
When we adopt the first tenet of legalism (righteousness through regulations) the second follows...we compare our walk with others.
a. We condemn others to make ourselves appear better
b. We condemn ourselves
We are wise to know ourselves. Which tendency do you have? ________________
Explain: Concentrating on sin can cheat a Christian of truly enjoying the presence of God.
3. PERFORMANCE REPLACES PASSION
If our motivation for obedience is anything other than love and devotion for God, we're probably up to our eyeballs in legalism and in for disaster. Obedience without love is nothing but law.
Faith works! Being a perfectionist or making lists of rules to obey cannot change a human heart. A passionate love relationship with God can transform any life. When we pray we build communication with the Father. We learn to think His thoughts.
A RADICAL WALK WITH GOD
Being assured of God's presence is your right as a child of God.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 1:21)
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:25)
A genuine walk in truth is a walk of glorious liberty! As we walk with Him, we experience His peace, and the crowning gift of His presence.
Can we say with the author...I don't just love Him, I love loving Him.
Can we say with the author?..."Surrending my heart to Him has not been a sacrfice."
Lesson 6:Enjoying God's Presence
PRINTS OF HIS PRESENCE
Who (or what kind of person) do you enjoy spending time with? ______________
Do you consider the enjoyment of someone's presence a routine part of life? _________
When you pass through the waters. I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, our God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:2-3)
What does this passage promise? What does it not promise? __________________
Because you are having struggles does not mean that you are not enjoying God's presence.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)
Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)
We cannot escape God, but we do not always sense His presence.
How can the assurance of God's presence quiet our fears? ________________
God's presence is absolutely unchanging, but the evidence of His presence varies. Sometimes God may purposely alter the evidences of His presence to bring the most benefit from our experience. We may receive the most benefit from seeing many visible prints of His invisible hands during a difficult season. Other times we may profit most from seeing fewer evidences. God does not love us less when He gives us fewer evidences. He simply desires to grow us up and teach us to walk by faith.
The point is not that we have nothing to fear, but that His presence is the basis for our courage.
Christ does not always immediately calm the storm, but He is always willing to calm His child on the basis of His presence. "Don't worry! I know the winds are raging and the waves are high, but I am God over both. If I let them continue to swell, it's because I want you to see Me walk on the water." We may never enjoy the storms, but we can learn to enjoy God's presence in the storm.
THE JOY OF RELATIONSHIP
Do you enjoy God? If not, there are two possibilities:
1. You might still not believe that God really satisfies (benefits 1 and 3).
2. It could be Satan's efforts to keep you from being aware of God's presence.
Guilt experienced before we've repented on a specific sin is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Guilt experienced after repentance is the condemnation of the evil one...All feelings aside.
THE OBSTACLE OF LEGALISM
Is God hypercritical? Why might we want to spend time with someone who we think will pick us apart? ______________________________________________
The Lord says: These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. (Isaiah 29:13)
Does the word legalism appear in scripture? ___________________
List some illustrations of legalism from scripture. ______________________
Legalism makes love unconditional. Legalists have a list of requirements that must be met before God can approve of and love people.
What dilemna did the early church leaders face when they began sharing the Gospel with Gentiles? _______________________________
How do we see legalism in our own lives or in others' lives? Name some regulations your inner "legalist" wants to demand of others or yourself? ______________________
FAITH WORKS!
The testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:3-4)
We cannot please God or find freedom in rule-keeping. Why does self-generated righteousness appeal to us? ___________________________
How do we avoid the trap of being legalistic? _______________________
LEGALISM RESULTS WHEN 3 CONDITIONS OCCUR:
1. REGULATIONS REPLACE RELATIONSHIP
How did the Pharisees react when Jesus healed on the Sabbath? ________________
Why was it okay for Jesus to heal on the Sabbath? _______________________
What was the greatest benefit Christ could bring to those He healed? _____________
The Pharisees had a superficial understanding of God and no enjoyment of His presence.
The other extreme is lax discipleship. Explain. ___________________________
2. WHEN MISCROSCOPES REPLACE MIRRORS
Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" (Matthew 12:10)
Modern-day Pharisees also look for reasons to accuse others. They look to the faults of others because their own relationship with God is lacking.
When we adopt the first tenet of legalism (righteousness through regulations) the second follows...we compare our walk with others.
a. We condemn others to make ourselves appear better
b. We condemn ourselves
We are wise to know ourselves. Which tendency do you have? ________________
Explain: Concentrating on sin can cheat a Christian of truly enjoying the presence of God.
3. PERFORMANCE REPLACES PASSION
If our motivation for obedience is anything other than love and devotion for God, we're probably up to our eyeballs in legalism and in for disaster. Obedience without love is nothing but law.
Faith works! Being a perfectionist or making lists of rules to obey cannot change a human heart. A passionate love relationship with God can transform any life. When we pray we build communication with the Father. We learn to think His thoughts.
A RADICAL WALK WITH GOD
Being assured of God's presence is your right as a child of God.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 1:21)
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:25)
A genuine walk in truth is a walk of glorious liberty! As we walk with Him, we experience His peace, and the crowning gift of His presence.
Can we say with the author...I don't just love Him, I love loving Him.
Can we say with the author?..."Surrending my heart to Him has not been a sacrfice."
posted by Andrew Brown at 9:23 PM
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