5-6 prayer time

6-6:15 Welcome arrange grps of 5-7–spread out those who are going to miss some part.

1.	Why are you here? Why do you want to grow spiritually?–share at tables–get highlights from 1 or 2 tables.

2.	Many of us stagnate not because we're insincere or because God is unfaithful but for the following reason: see p.1

a.	We need to seek out the principles by which God's kingdom operates in order to cooperate with Him. Illustrate: 1 Cor 3:6. Planting and watering are our part, without them, what happens? Death, no growth. But how do we know to plant and water in the first place? We have observed the great agricultural principles. We can know the principles, however, and plant and water, but we never get credit for the growth, why not? Our planting and watering does not have the power to cause growth–the power comes from God.

3.	Spiritual principle #1 Read Psalm 115:8 and tell me the one major principle of the spiritual life in this verse. We become like what we worship.

We need to have higher and more distinct views of the character of Christ.... We are not to think of God only as a judge and to forget Him as a loving Father. Nothing can do our souls greater harm than this, for our whole spiritual life is molded from our conceptions of God's character. We have lessons to learn of Jesus' love. {OHC 176.5}

Men put God out of their knowledge and worshiped the creatures of their own imagination; and as the result, they became more and more debased. The psalmist describes the effect produced upon the worshiper by the adoration of idols. He says, "They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them." Psalm 115:8. It is a law of the human mind that by beholding we become changed. Man will rise no higher than his conceptions of truth, purity, and holiness. If the mind is never exalted above the level of humanity, if it is not uplifted by faith to contemplate infinite wisdom and love, the man will be constantly sinking lower and lower. PP. 91

a.	I could come and teach you all sorts of principles of growth, but if your picture of God is too small, it won't do much good–so we're going to spend a good chunk of our time together this weekend expanding our picture of God together. This is the most useful and perhaps the most exciting part of this weekend.

4.	3-fold picture of God:

a.	Open to Rev 4 and 5. Read in your groups and extract the three qualities or characteristics of God for which He is being worshiped and praised in these two chapters. Make notes, but don't fill anything in yet, we're going to hear from each group in a moment and digest a little before we move on.

i.	Qualities:

(1)	Eternal self-existence

(2)	Creative power

(3)	Redeeming activity

ii.	Significance of each

iii.	Significance of all three together–Father, Son, Spirit? OC, HP, MHP

b.	If this is God, why are we so messed up? Simple, we and mankind as a whole don't believe this is what God is like. Instead we've bought into a counterfeit picture of God set up by God's enemy. Next column Turn to Gen 3:1-5. Read in your groups and look for at least 4 lies the serpent tells about God; 4 ways that the serpent attacks God's eternal self existence. (Look beyond the surface–to what's implied by the serpent's assertions.)

i.	Lies–note significance of each one as we go.

(1)	Liar

(2)	Selfish

(3)	Abusive of authority

(4)	Untrustworthy

(5)	Fearful-limited

ii.	This counterfeit in summary? Humanism

c.	Next we're going to work on the middle row. Read Gen 1-2 and find four things that are lasting memorials of creation. (We're going to look at the positive and check out the counterfeit side in a moment, so don't be confused.) These are not the creation itself –not the 'construction' part of creation, these are additional aspects of creation, icing on the cake –not separate from the material world, but not reducible to the material creation.

i.	Memorials

(1)	Sabbath (can't see the rest or the time, but it's real)

(2)	Man in God's image–this cannot be limited to the physical or we could say Apes are in God's image–same basic shape, etc.

(3)	Marriage (has physical aspects, but is surely more than those–can't see a marriage.)

(4)	7 day cycle–this last one is kind of tricky because it's so similar to number one. (has a physical component, but there's no way to deduce it merely from the physical–unlike years, months, etc.)

ii.	How have these been counterfeited?

(1)	God's image defaced–Man's nature M,Soc,Ph,Sp, whole being. Dualistic etc.

(2)	Marriage distorted–M+F echad not sublimated, not separated Ann's story-no crying.

(3)	Weekly cycle–Tom's story: We treat one day like the next and are totally oblivious to the fact that even our weekly cycle comes from our God at creation–there's no other explanation for it.

(4)	legalistic Sabbath keeping is worse than the wrong day. Look at Gen 1:31ff if we have time.

Which of these are you convicted about?

Why would Satan be so interested in obscuring our view of God as creator at this point in history?–If He can create, He can re-create.

Have people bring concordances for tomorrow!!

Sabbath 3pm

d.	What are the two counterfeits for God's redemptive activity?

i.	Counterfeits

(1)	legalism

(2)	cheap grace

ii.	Significance of each

iii.	Similarity between both

e.	See Benefits of Jesus death

f.	What is the issue–counterfeit always twists or pushes something true to extremes. What two characteristics of God is Satan misusing? What sort of love is this? Unconditional love; love of righteousness and hatred of sin. What is at issue, God's unconditional love, and an attitude of hating sin.

i.	Unconditional Love

ii.	Love of Righteousness

Take a break when done.

g.	What is the two-part principle that marks all of God's creative handiwork, both the construction, physical, and the spiritual icing on the cake we've observed? It's easiest to see in living things. Look at the person across from you. How is their body constructed? What two-part principle makes it work? What is the issue in the second row regarding God as Creator and Sustainer? Unity through diversity.

h.	What is the counterfeit unity through diversity? Chaos or of unity through uniformity or conformity.

i.	What would give you the best evidence that the Spirit is re-creating the body of Christ in your church? Interdependence. It's okay to be different! We try to make everyone give Bible studies or like inductive Bible study–it's okay for someone to be different–let's affirm others' ministries–surfing ministry–Ron Gladden's story–erase the slots.

ii.	What would you be saying to each other? I need you–far easier to 'say' I love you, than I need you. Ruth story.

iii.	Affirm some point of uniqueness about the person to your right.

iv.	I'm glad the parts of my body don't say 'hi' once a week. Pinky illustration.

v.	Just to make sure we're together on this–who would we not expect to do all the ministry? Pastors (If time–do Eph 4:11 p.5 here.)

i.	1Peter 2:1-10 hear facts–Laos–Laity are the priests. How many are to declare God's praises? All.

i.	So way are all the ministries of a typical church carried out by 10% of the members? Many reasons–read EGW quote.

ii.	But tomorrow we'll look at one excellent solution.

Do inventory tonight–explain how.

Sun a.m

j.	Acts 19

i.	Even women?

k.	How often should we be seeking this? Daily

i.	Often what we seek w/ HS is a feeling of power and excitement. EGW warns against this. Speaking of those who rejected the light in 1844, EW p.56 "I sw them look up to the throne and pray, Father, give us Thy Spirit. Satan would then breathe on them an unholy influence in which there was much light and power, but no joy, no love, no peace. His object was to keep them deceived. 3T 72 "in the face of the most positive commands of God, men and women will follow their own inclination and then pray over the mater asking permission from God to go against his counsel. Satan draws close to such people and can give great good feelings about such decisions." 3rd party conversations? Bitterness?

ii.	What principle if you want growth?–live by principle.

l.	So coming back to our table. What is Satan making an issue of by counterfeiting God's eternal self-existence? In principle what is the issue? What is he calling into question? God's character and competence. Righteous use of authority.

i.	Open your Bibles to Eph 3:8-10 Purpose of the church–reveal something about God's wisdom. In light of this, what does Paul pray for them? So what would it take for the wisdom of God to be made known? What is the wisdom of God, then? Strength in weakness, loving His enemies. (What questions do the rulers have about God's wisdom?) I don't think the devil gets it Paul says he didn't at the cross–but he must not get it in the last days either or he wouldn't mess with God's people.

m.	If you wanted to be in the business of reflecting this God, what would you do in a practical way? "Righteous use of authority." To abuse it, just start setting yourself up as superior and acting exclusive in the name of God. Just start talking behind their backs–how often does this happen at nominating committee time. (Story from my last nom com?) Kids on playground–you're going to go to hell if you watch that program. Curtis Wright apologizing to me–he could have decided he hadn't done anything wrong and used his authority to ignore it? Parents w/ kids–God did not watch Eve and catch her in the act–he let her make her decision and reap the consequences. Story of pastor trying to protect church from making a bad decision–disaster! That was an abuse of authority.

Sun p.m.

n.	Whole scheme,

i.	Sanctuary

ii.	(John 16–3 fold work of Spirit?)

o.	What Bible teachings

i.	SDA doctrines

ii.	Only 3 times in history--God's reason for raising up this last-day movement!

iii.	Three challenges facing church, Be unified, Love unconditionally/while loving righteousness, Use authority rightly. This will result in true worship–the song of Moses and the lamb.

Ask about conviction–have you understood these things? Every student of the word who has been trained in the kingdom is like a householder who bring forth from his treasure things new and old. Blessed are you if you do them.

5.	extract Sp gifts from different passages p.12

6.	Assign people to Read descriptions overnight

Monday Eve

7.	Three challenges facing the church: Illustrate righteous use of authority.–have the group give examples of righteous use and abuse in the church setting.

8.	Invite a response of worship–how is your picture of God–how has your view of His worthiness to be worshiped changed? How would you like to worship this God? What are some appropriate ways–let's make a list.

9.	Eph 4:11 p. 5 if not done before.

10.	Eph 4:11–focus p. 21 Write up on board and let people take a look if no time.

11.	Mark inventory and answer questions about gifts.

12.	Gps top three for self and top three for others. Feedback.

13.	Acts 19 prayer for those interested.