To take part in this Bible Study, you can answer the questions in the comment section, or leave any thoughts.
Numbers 13:26-33
Promise Land = South West Baltimore
Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Canaanites = Addiction, Perversion, Poverty, Murder, Fatherlessness
Israelites = The Church
The majority report is the city cannot change. The giants of poverty, the breakdown of the family and the after effects of the drug culture, have laid hold to the neighborhood and won't let go. However we cannot listen to the majority report...we must listen to what Caleb says, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." Caleb believed something very key about the promised land...that it was PROMISED by a most high God. God has promised us, that he would mend the broken hearted, and set the captives free...because of the promises of Isaiah 61...we stand firm in knowing that we can take the land! It's GOD'S!
QUESTIONS
What is your promise land? And what's keeping you from it?
Jeremiah 6:17
The watchman are shouting at us to PAY ATTENTION, the trumpet is blaring. The trumpet is symbolic of the call of God through the prophets. How will we respond to the wake up calls God is readily giving us? Will we take heed or do what Israel did in this scripture..."not listen".
QUESTIONS
What is the Trumpet in your life? Are you listening to it or ignoring it?
Cor 2:1-5 Paul comes not knowing anything but Christ Jesus. No Flare, theatrics, persuasion or human wisdom was used in his presentation of the Gospel to the Corinthians during his initial visit. Because of the difficulty of his travels and seriousness of his message, he came to this church weak, and trembling in fear. He strongly focuses on the fact that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
QUESTIONS
How do you see the "wisdom of men" active in your own life or people around you?
The wisdom of man is all around us. People put faith in the TV and watch it instead of reading the Word for themselves. Man dictates what to wear, what to eat, how to have relationship with people, what to believe and not to believe. So go the group (group think) so do most of the people. The majority is not always right. Children are taught to follow the majority in schools. God has called us to be HIS children, which makes us walk in HIS way and answer HIS call. My land is my home. I am having trouble getting people in my own home to truly embrace GOD instead of the world.
ReplyDeleteHIS trumpet call to me is to never tire of giving testimony about HIS love and mercy and what Jesus has done for us. I have to answer the call even when people don't listen.
I think it's interesting how they were able to explore this land for 40 days with no problems.
ReplyDeleteThey were also given instructions, " how is the soil? is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.. This land indeed flowed with milk and honey. It was indeed the promised land. Then, after confirmed, the doubt and fear comes in because of the giants that don't appear to be going anywhere. Sometime's it can be like this, The Lord will show me my promised land (victory from a specific sin) ... Like , in my head i know it's mine, and it's possible. ( like i should know it's mine, bc God said it) But when it comes time to step into it, doubt and fear. it's like a cycle. I think it's because, in our hearts we don't truly believe HE's the promise keeper. God is not a man that He should lie.
What's my promise land?
* I feel like i have so many.. control in my thoughts!! living a lust free life, completely satisfied in him,
I've struggled with negative, and impure thoughts. My promise-land would be, to be completely consumed by thoughts of good and pleasing things. It sometimes feels impossible to truly overcome. LIke , why do i have to KEEP taking captive thoughts..why don't they just be surrendered once and for all? But it's a constant fight.
what's keeping me from it?
* discipline, often fear of the next level, and laziness, comfort.
But when, we talk about the promise land having giants. I think that's it.. Jer 6:17 talk s about the trumpet being sounded , and us not listening.
sometimes I feel like I don't listen because I know the trumpet is going to call for me to fight. There is a myth, that I tend to believe, and that is that f I stay still, and act like i don't hear the trumpet, then i don't have to move forward. Only thing about, is that if the trumpet blows, that means that the battle has begun. And what I'm finding is that non-responsiveness , when the battle has begun, means that I have now become vulnerable for attack of the enemy. When you choose not to fight, or move forward , when it's time to move forward, you open your self for attack and ultimately conquer.
I truly want to answer the call. I know that it will result in experience Christ in the Fullness.. why is it so hard?
Ashley, what you have stated is a classic battle between the flesh and the Holy Spirit. It is a daily struggle. I know I have the victory on a spiritual level, but my flesh (worldly self) keeps telling me not so. It is a lie of the devil. The way to deal with the lies is to replace each lie with the truth of Jesus.
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