Saturday, July 23, 2016

August 7, 2016 – Teachings from the Rock – Standing Firm without Anxiety



Standing Firm without Anxiety

1 Kings 13:13-24 – New International Version (NIV)
13 So he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 14 and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”
“I am,” he replied.
15 So the prophet said to him, “Come home with me and eat.”
16 The man of God said, “I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17 I have been told by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.’”
18 The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.
20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. 22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors.’”
23 When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. 24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it.

What did the man say to his sons (verse 13)?

Who did he ride after (verse 14)?

Where did he find him (verse 14)?

What did he ask (verse 15)?

How did the “man of God” answer (verse 16)?

In your opinion, why had the Lord commanded the man of God not to “eat bread or drink water there or to return by the way that you came” (verse 17)?

How did the old prophet lie to the man of God (verse 18)?

What did the man of God do (verse 19)?

When did the word of the Lord come to the old prophet (verse 20)?

In your opinion, why was it the man of God and not the lying old prophet who “defied the word of the Lord” (verse 21)?

How will the man of God be punished (verse 22)?

What did the prophet do for the man of God (verse 23)?

Where was the body of the man of God after he was killed by the lion (verse 24)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Luke 22:24-34 - New International Version (NIV)
24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

What were the disciples in dispute about (verse 24)?
Who calls themselves Benefactors (verse 25)?
How are the disciples to be (verse 26)?
In your opinion, why is Jesus among the disciples “as one who serves” (verse 27)?
Where have the disciples been when Jesus had trials (verse 28)?
What does Jesus confer on the disciples (verse 29)?
Where will the disciples eat and drink (verse 30)?
In your opinion, what does it mean for Satan to “sift all of you as wheat” (verse 31)?
What does Jesus say that He prayed for (verse 32)?
In your opinion, what does Jesus mean when He says “and when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (verse 32)?
What was Simon Peter ready to do (verse 33)?
How did Jesus answer Simon Peter (verse 34)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, how does Jesus’ statement to the disciples that “Satan has ask to sift all of you like wheat” in Luke 22:24-34 help us to understand why the old prophet lied to the man of God in 1 Kings 13:13-24?

Philippians 4:1-9 - New International Version (NIV)
1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

How does Paul ask his “brothers and sisters” to stand (verse 1)?
In your opinion, what does Paul mean when he pleads with Euodia and Syntyche to “be of the same mind in the Lord” (verse 2)?
What had the women done with Paul, Clement and the rest of Paul’s co-workers (verse 3)?
When are we to “rejoice in the Lord” (verse 4)?
In your opinion, what does it mean to “let your gentleness be evident to all” (verse 5)?
What should we do instead of being anxious (verse 6)?
What will guard our hearts and minds “in Christ Jesus” (verse 7)?
What are we to think about (verse 8)?
What are we to do with what is learned, received or heard from Paul (verse 9)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, how does Jesus and His prayer for Simon Peter who He knew was going to deny Him three times in Luke 22:24-34 demonstrate the gentleness that Paul commands the Philippians to let “be evident to all” in Philippians 4:1-9?
In your opinion, how would the old prophet’s behavior in 1 Kings 13:13-24 been different if he had been doing what Paul commands the Philippians in Philippians 4:1-9 and had thought about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy”?

1 Peter 5:5-11 – New International Version (NIV)
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Who is to submit to “your elders” (verse 5)?
Why are all to “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another” (verse 5)?
In your opinion, why will God’s mighty hand lift us up in due time if we humble ourselves (verse 6)?
What should we do with all our anxiety (verse 7)?
Who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (verse 8)?
How do we “resist him” (verse 9)?
What do we know about the “family of believers throughout the world” (verse 9)?
When will the “God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ” restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast (verse 10)?
What does Peter pray for God to have “for ever and ever” (verse 11)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what can we learn from the fact that Paul, who had many difficulties as he followed the Lord, in Philippians 4:1-9 said to “not be anxious about anything” but to pray and Peter, who denied Jesus three times and had his own difficulties , in 1 Peter 5:5-11 says to “cast all your anxiety on him”?
In your opinion, how does the fact that Jesus told Simon Peter, who was going to deny Him later that night, I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” in Luke 22:24-34 help Peter to say with confidence the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” in 1 Peter 5:5-11?

In your opinion, who was devoured in 1 Kings 13:13-24 by the devil that Peter says in 1 Peter 5:5-11 “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”?
In your opinion, what do these passages from 1 Kings, Luke, Philippians and 1 Peter tell us about anxiety, standing firm and resisting the devil?
In your opinion, what do these passages show us about ourselves today?


Next, back to Peter 5:12 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

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