Times of Refreshing Continue through Obedience
Weekly Reading
Monday: Numbers 8, John 18
Tuesday: Numbers 9, John 19
Wednesday: Numbers 10, John 20
Thursday: Numbers 11, John 21
Friday: Numbers 12, Acts 1
Saturday: Psalm 70-71
Sunday: Job 15-34
Tuesday: Numbers 9, John 19
Wednesday: Numbers 10, John 20
Thursday: Numbers 11, John 21
Friday: Numbers 12, Acts 1
Saturday: Psalm 70-71
Sunday: Job 15-34
Discussion Questions
- Reread accounts of the Tower Babel (Genesis 11) and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2). Compare and contrast the events. How does this give you understanding?
- Look up the practical points from today’s message on the app. Review and discuss the questions and points. Which one were you most challenged by? What is one thing you can do this week to put action to what God has revealed to you?
3DQ - 3 discipleship questions to ask each other: What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? How can I help?
Sermon Notes
Key Passage: Acts 2:14-41
Times of refreshing (revival) begin with repentance
Times of refreshing (revival) continue through obedience
Apostles Teaching
Action item: Don’t be quick to consume more information if you have not been obedient to what you already know. What has God said to you that you have yet to give action to?
Action item: Devote yourself to the teaching of your church
Fellowship
Action item:
Breaking of Bread
Prayer
Action item: Always start with prayer
"When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. Examine where you have become sluggish, where you began losing interest spiritually, and you will find that it goes back to a point where you did not do something you knew you should do. You did not do it because there seemed to be no immediate call to do it. But now you have no insight or discernment, and at a time of crisis you are spiritually distracted instead of spiritually self-controlled. It is a dangerous thing to refuse to continue learning and knowing more.
"The counterfeit of obedience is a state of mind in which you create your own opportunities to sacrifice yourself, and your zeal and enthusiasm are mistaken for discernment. It is easier to sacrifice yourself than to fulfill your spiritual destiny, which is stated in Romans 12:1-2. It is much better to fulfill the purpose of God in your life by discerning His will than it is to perform great acts of self-sacrifice. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice." (1 Samuel 15:22)" -Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
Romans 12 (JB Phillips - translation, paraphrase)
1-2 With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.
Times of refreshing (revival) begin with repentance
Times of refreshing (revival) continue through obedience
Apostles Teaching
Action item: Don’t be quick to consume more information if you have not been obedient to what you already know. What has God said to you that you have yet to give action to?
Action item: Devote yourself to the teaching of your church
Fellowship
Action item:
- When encountering someone in the body different than you: How is this person revealing to me the character of God?
- Open yourself to fellowship through home groups - even though it might cost you
Breaking of Bread
Prayer
Action item: Always start with prayer
"When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. Examine where you have become sluggish, where you began losing interest spiritually, and you will find that it goes back to a point where you did not do something you knew you should do. You did not do it because there seemed to be no immediate call to do it. But now you have no insight or discernment, and at a time of crisis you are spiritually distracted instead of spiritually self-controlled. It is a dangerous thing to refuse to continue learning and knowing more.
"The counterfeit of obedience is a state of mind in which you create your own opportunities to sacrifice yourself, and your zeal and enthusiasm are mistaken for discernment. It is easier to sacrifice yourself than to fulfill your spiritual destiny, which is stated in Romans 12:1-2. It is much better to fulfill the purpose of God in your life by discerning His will than it is to perform great acts of self-sacrifice. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice." (1 Samuel 15:22)" -Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
Romans 12 (JB Phillips - translation, paraphrase)
1-2 With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.
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