A major theme in Philippians is JOY.
Why does Paul feel this way about them? Paul considers them COMPANIONS and CO-LABORERS in the Gospel.
God was JUST GETTING STARTED with them!
He prays they would:
Overflow with THE GREATEST KIND OF love
Overflow with FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCIAL knowledge
Overflow with PROPER, GODLY discernment
Philippians 1:6
God is the HOW TO. What he’s looking for from us is the WANT TO.
2 Corinthians 4:17-5:10
Luke 11:34-36
Colossians 3: 1-2
1. You need a point of reference
2. Don’t focus on distractions or obstacles
Hebrews 12:1-2
Romans 8:18
3. Know your purpose
1 Corinthians 2:9
“I love to live on the brink of eternity.” -David Brainerd
4. Live by faith
5. The story has already been written.
“The story has already been written. Your final scene has already been shot. You don’t end in failure—you end in victory.”
1 Kings 10:1-3, 6-9
Proverbs 21
Proverbs 21:1-2 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Proverbs 21:30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.
God speaks through His Word, His Spirit and His people.
His Word______________________________________________________.
His Spirit______________________________________________________.
His people_____________________________________________________.
Godly wisdom on its own ____________________________________________.
1 Kings 11:1-4
Key Idea: _______________________________________________________________
but ______________________________________________________________________.
Two Questions:
Are you actively seeking God’s wisdom?
Is your heart in the Lord’s hands?
Luke 15:11-32
Prodigal Means _____________________________________________________.
The Younger Brother: Prodigal Living
– Wants __________________ but becomes ____________________________.
The Father: Prodigal Love
– Bears the ______________________________________ and yet ________________________________________ his son.
The Older Brother: Prodigal Motives
– Treasures the _____________________ over ___________________________.
Our Older Brother: Prodigal Sacrifice
– Jesus _______________________ us even though our ________________________ cost Him _____________________________________.
Habakkuk’s Prayer:
* He ____________________ God’s __________________.
Habakkuk 3:2-16
* He ____________________ his ____________________.
Habakkuk 3:17
* He _________________on God’s ____________________.
Habakkuk 3:18-19a
* He ____________________ in _____________________.
Habakkuk 3:19
Habakkuk 3:1 Shigionoth: a poem or song of strong emotion, somewhat erratic in rhythm, wild in character and irregular in form.
KEY IDEA: _______________________________________________; focus on the ___________________________________________________________________________ rather than the _________________________________________________________.
Habakkuk’s First Question:
Is God really going to _____________________________________?
God’s response: Habakkuk 2:2-3
Three things about God’s judgments…
1) God’s judgments are __________________ and ___________________.
2) God often waits to give people an opportunity to _______________________
and _____________________________________________.
1 Peter 2:8-9
Exodus 24:6-7
3) Don’t mistake God’s ________________________________________
for ______________________________________________.
Habakkuk’s Second Question: How could God do that, since other people are _____________________________________________________?
God’s response: Habakkuk 2:4-20
Habakkuk 2:4
The Hebrew word in this verse that we translate ’faith’ is emunah.
emunah refers to _______________________, not _________________.
The righteous one, because of his/her faithfulness, will live on.
Key Idea: Be willing to ____________________________________…
but ____________________________________________.
Habakkuk 1:2-4
Habakkuk means “EMBRACE.”
Be willing to EMBRACE GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY… and learn to TRUST IN HIM.
Habakkuk 1:5
“wonder and be astounded” is literally: BE ______________, ______________!
Habakkuk 1:12-13
Four approaches Habakkuk (unsuccessfully) uses:
1 _________________ gets us nowhere with God because _______________ ________________________________________________.
2 _________________ gets us nowhere with God because _______________ ________________________________________________.
3 _________________ gets us nowhere with God because _______________ ________________________________________________.
Isaiah 55:8-9
Habakkuk 1:14-17
4 _________________ gets us nowhere with God because _______________ ________________________________________________.
Key Idea: Be willing to ____________________________________…
and be __________________________________________.
Proverbs 3:5
“There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion… God [is] taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.”
~Oswald Chambers from My Utmost for His Highest
Habakkuk 1:1-5
Four things from Habakkuk’s complaint that we need to recognize:
– God is not ____________________________; we are _____________.
– God always _____________, even when He does not __________________.
– God is __________________________for the evil around us.
God is sovereign over both good and evil; everything is under His control.
(sovereign means having supreme power and authority)
God is responsible for everything good.
God is not responsible for anything evil.
– God is ___________________________,
even when______________________________________ .
Question:
Habakkuk means ________________.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength…”
Be willing to ______________________________________…
and learn to ____________________________________.
Isaiah 55:8-11