Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for the week of 8.2.10.

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 7.31.10.

The Book of Ephesians
Essentials for Personal Salvation
Lee Powell, Senior Pastor
July 31 & August 1, 2010

His Grace: S________ Us

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. EPHESIANS 2:8, 9

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is – free and undeserved. ROMANS 11:6

S_________________ Us

You know what I was like …I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it…God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace… GALATIANS 1:13-15

(Read also MATTHEW 20:1-16 parable of Vineyard workers)

S_______ Us

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him… LUKE 15:20

S____________ Us

…Remember, he has identified you as his own, (has put his seal on you) guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. EPHESIANS 4:30

S___________________ Empowers Us

By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. EPHESIANS 3:7

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. EPHESIANS 4:7 (NIV)

In his grace, God has given us different gifts… ROMANS 12:6

S_______________ Us

Together as one body…members of God’s family. Together, we are his house…carefully joined together in Him… EPHESIANS 2:19-21

S_____________ Us

…grace and peace. EPHESIANS 1:2

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 1 CORINTHIANS 16:23

“my grace is all you need…” 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9

All scripture from New Living Translation unless otherwise noted. NIV = New International Version.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. At CedarCreek, we talk about God’s grace all of the time! However, what can happen to our faith when we begin viewing God’s grace as commonplace rather than a life-giving essential element in our lives?

2. This weekend, Lee pointed out all of the things that grace does in the life of a Christ-follower. Review this weekend’s sermon notes and discuss the aspect of grace that you need to experience more of in your life.

3. Have you ever thought about the way that God’s grace injects an element of marvelous surprise into your life? Share about a time when certain events were unfolding in an unfortunate way, but God intervened in a manner that was unexpected – and undeserved.

4. One of the ideas Lee spoke about this week was that God’s grace sustains us in times of great stress or difficulty. There are times when God allows suffering to come into ourselves. It is during those times when we can make the choice to lean into God’s grace for comfort and strength. Discuss a time when you experienced God’s grace during a time of tremendous suffering.

One final thought…We cannot talk about God’s grace and not talk about our upcoming 15th anniversary celebration! CedarCreek Church exists as a reflection of God’s unmerited grace and mercy. There’s nothing that any of us could have done to deserve what God has done in this place as well as in each one of our hearts! Come and celebrate with us on Friday September 10th at the Huntington Arena in downtown Toledo!

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of August.)
May you experience the love of Christ, though
it is too great to understand fully. Then you will
be made complete with all the fullness of life
and power that comes from God.
EPHESIANS 3:19 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.30.10.

FRIDAY — Growing in the Spirit of Wisdom
Today’s Big Point: God makes His wisdom available for anyone who chooses to pursue it.

     As you read through Ephesians during the Essentials Series, it will be easy to notice that both faith and love, on the part of the Ephesian believers, were the virtues that prompted the prayers of Paul on their behalf. Likewise, the virtues of faith and love are imperatives toward coming into a deeper experiential knowledge of God. This is the great subject of this passage: the knowledge of God. It is absolutely essential that believers grow more and more in their intimate experiences with God, that their knowledge will be “OF” God, and not simply “ABOUT” God.
     Something that is essential for a believer to grow in the knowledge of God is to have the Spirit of wisdom. As stated in the beginning of the week, that is a spirit that reaches out and hungers and thirsts after wisdom.
     Wisdom can best be understood by the single words “what” and “how.” Wisdom means knowing what something is, what is behind something, and what can be done. It is knowing how to use or relate to something. Therefore, spiritual wisdom means: knowing who God is and how to relate to Him; knowing the truth and how to use it; knowing what to do and how to do it; knowing how to live more and more fruitful lives for the glory of God and for the welfare of men.
     Wisdom differs from knowledge. Knowledge is the grasping of facts, but grasping facts is not enough. Much more is needed; a person must know how to use the facts. That is where wisdom comes in. Wisdom knows how to use the facts. The point is this: it is not enough to know the facts about God; a person must know God personally. He must know how to experience the facts about God. He must use the truthful facts of Scripture to develop a personal relationship with God–a growing relationship of increasing intimacy that takes one deeper into the very Person of God. This is the meaning of the word “knowledge” (epignosei)… it means a personal and intimate relationship with God; a personal experience with God. It is not an intellectual knowledge of God, but an experiential knowledge of God. With all of that said, we can easily see why the Spirit prompted Paul in his prayers to pray for a “spirit of wisdom” along with praying for a “spirit of revelation” on behalf of the believers.

THIS WEEK’S BIG POINT: The most important thing I learned during the Living It Out: Daily Bible Study this week was…

Weekend Reminders…
Leadership Summit — Go to www.cedarcreek.tv to register for the 2010 Leadership Summit. We’re excited about speakers like reality show star and Tom’s Shoes founder, Blake Mycoskie! By the way, CedarCreek has the chance to be one of the largest Summit Leadership Summit sites in the country. Come be a part of it!

DAILY BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 1
1 Corinthians 1:3 Paul planted the church at Corinth and in time, some of those believers began to question Paul’s apostleship. The letter to the church was written in order to maintain his apostolic character and authority. However, Paul didn’t write this letter out of pride but because he believed in his divine appointment.
1 Corinthians 1:7 The manifestation of gifts in the church confirmed that Christ was among them.
1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Paul takes on the divisions in the church head-on in this chapter. They quarreled about their ministers and Paul admonished them to put their energies toward Christ rather than advocating for one minister or another.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 This weekend’s message was about pursuing spiritual wisdom and in this section of scripture, Paul also discusses the importance of abandoning earthly wisdom in favor of grasping God’s wisdom.

HomePointe Family Activity Section
Coming this fall, we will kick off our all new CedarCreek family ministry called HomePointe. Families will be able to take part in opportunities and resources at CedarCreek that will assist them in their journey to intentionally grow a Godly family. The following family activity is just one of the many resources we will be offering.

Big Point for Parents: Children are dependent on their parents, for the most part, to learn Godly wisdom. Therefore, it is imperative for parents to be intentional about raising their child in the knowledge of God.

Big Point for Children: God wants to grow you up to be wise.

Lesson: Read the story of Solomon asking for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:6-15. Talk to the children about how wisdom is available to them just like Solomon.  

Activity: Spend time thumbing through Proverbs. Talk about how Proverbs is chock full of wisdom. Have the children choose a wisdom life verse and then have them write it out and decorate it so that it can be hung somewhere they will always see it.

Pray: God give us a spirit of wisdom, and a desire to pursue your knowledge.

Living It Out — July Memory Verse:
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for
will actually happen; it gives us assurance
about things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1 (New Living Translation)

Living It Out
It is the dream of CedarCreek that everyone who calls this their church home will be reading and studying the same topics, both individually and in groups. Each week, join with thousands of others at CedarCreek Church in applying God’s Word, the Bible, into your daily life. Our hope is that while we learn and grow together, as individuals and as a church, we will collectively live out the weekend message.

Living It Out resources, such as the Daily Bible Study, Daily Bible Reading Plan, Discussion Questions and Scripture Memory Verses, are designed to help us embrace a missional mindset…a mindset that compels us to love Jesus, serve others and tell the world about Christ.
Living It Out: Daily Bible Study…Daily Bible study activities to reflect on the weekend message
Living It Out: Daily Bible Reading Plan…Read through the New Testament in a year
Living It Out: Discussion Questions…Weekly questions to discuss with others
Living It Out: Scripture Memory…Memorize one Bible verse per month

All of these resources are also available electronically at www.livingitout.tv, where you can subscribe to have any or all of them emailed to you as they are updated.

We Want Your Feedback!
Tell us about any questions or comments you have about this week’s Living It Out: Daily Bible Study. Forward them to barbr@cedarcreek.tv.

RESOURCES:
The Bible
Pastor James Drake on SermonCentral.com

This week’s Living It Out: Daily Bible Study written by:
Amber Distel
Chantele Henry
Brenda Hutmacher
Barb Roose

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.29.10.

THURSDAY — The Wisdom of Silence
Today’s Big Point: Sometimes silence can be the wisest form of wisdom.

Silence… gentle silence. Why is it important to be silent? When we are silent we can hear from God, wait on him, be near to him, and listen. When we are silent we can get control of our emotions and gather our thoughts. The silence of restraint, a silence of wisdom, is knowing when to speak and when not to. Power withholding itself is far greater than power exerting itself. In Esther’s story, she never talked about her Jewish heritage… until the time was right. She never talked about how evil Haman was… until the time was right. She didn’t complain about her situation. She remained silent and waited for God. Her Godly behavior is what gained the respect of the king, so when the right time came for her to speak, he would listen. 

READ…What does the Bible say?
Proverbs 16:16 (New Living Translation)
How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!

Proverbs 25:11 (God’s word translation)
Like golden apples in silver settings, so is a word spoken at the right time.  

Proverbs 17:28 (New Living Translation)
Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

James 1:5 (New International Version) 
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

THINK…Find the answers
Read Proverbs16:16 and Proverbs 25:11. What is so wise about knowing the appropriate timing for how and when we should speak?

According to James 1:5, what is one way we can receive wisdom? How does a person know that he or she lacks wisdom?

LIVE…What will you do now?
The ability to be silent at appropriate times is just one example of wise behavior. List wise behaviors you need to begin engaging in and don’t remember to currently practice (example: remembering your body is a temple and keeping it holy).
1.
2.

We all find ourselves in situations where it is tempting to unload a verbal lashing or stonewall in silence. Often, there are underlying beliefs or attitudes (like pride) that cause us to speak when we should remain silent.
1. What are common situations where you find yourself speaking at a time when silence would be wise? Instead of giving someone a “piece of your mind”, how could you demonstrate spiritual wisdom in that situation?

2. Can you identify some of the beliefs or attitudes that cause you to abandon God’s wisdom for your own? (For example: pride, desire to “fix”)

EXTRA CREDIT: Browse through the book of Proverbs. Find a verse that conveys wisdom. Write out that verse in the space below and why you chose that verse. (It would be great to find a verse that provides wisdom in an area where you are currently struggling!)

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know & do?
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you that all we have to do, Lord, is ask you for wisdom and you will give it to us. I pray in all of our lives, our jobs, our families, you would help us be silent when we need to be and speak the right word at the right time. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: Luke 24
Luke 24:1-2 All four gospels agree that women first discovered the empty tomb on Sunday morning and that the resurrected Jesus first appeared to women. Women were not considered reliable witnesses in first century Jerusalem; therefore, it is unlikely that the followers of Jesus would have created a story with women as the primary witnesses.
Luke 24:13-35 The Road to Emmaus account only appears in Luke.
Luke 24:31 Jesus’ disappearance confirms he received a unique and glorified resurrection body.
Luke 24:36-49 Jesus appears to the Emmaus disciples and the remaining eleven disciples.
Luke 24:39 “Look at my hands and feet.” This is evidence that Jesus was nailed rather than tied to the cross. Additionally, Jesus’ resurrection is not his pre-crucifixion body being brought back to life. Rather, Jesus resurrected into a new and glorified body.

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.28.10.

WEDNESDAY — God or Magic Genie?
Today’s Big Point: One way for God to meet many of our needs is to provide us with His knowledge so that we have the opportunity to act wisely.

     Sitting around the dinner table, three young college students and their parents engaged in a rare family dinner experience. As the middle child prayed she chose to thank God for giving her the wisdom she so desperately needed for this season of her life. As “amen” was muttered, the family looked up at each other, curious about her prayer. The middle child shared that when she was ten years old her Dad read to her the story of Solomon before bed. A piece of Solomon’s story stood out to her that particular evening that she believes impacted her life to this day. Solomon asked for wisdom from God. That night she chose to do the same.
     Over the years she began to understand that wisdom and intelligence were not the same (she would admit she hoped for both in her prayer). She didn’t become magically smarter. Her test scores didn’t all of a sudden reveal genius levels. What did happen was that the Holy Spirit placed a hunger in her heart to pursue the knowledge of God. Through this learning as well as many experiences, she realized God was helping her becoming wise. This wisdom has become priceless to her.

READ…What does the Bible say?
1 Kings 3:7-14 (New International Version)
7 “Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies, but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for — both riches and honor — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

THINK…Find the answers
Out of all the things that Solomon could have asked for from God, he asked for wisdom. Why was asking for wisdom a better choice than asking for riches?

Since Solomon asked for wisdom, why do you think God was more willing to give him what he didn’t ask for — wealth and power?

LIVE…What will you do now?
How wise are you? Read on and see…

Just like an apple tree produces apples (fruit), so a good person will produce good “stuff” (fruit) because it is their nature. Our success and failures in life (fruits of our labor) can be proof of our wisdom or lack thereof. What fruit are you producing?
1.
2.
3.

PRAY…God, What do you want me to know & do?
God, give me a spirit of wisdom like Solomon. Help me to make wise choices for myself and the people that you have entrusted to me to care for during my life here on earth. I am currently not making wise choices is my life concerning ________________. I recognize that I have not been using your wisdom. Today, I will abandon my own limited knowledge and wisdom and instead, rely upon Your wisdom alone. Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: Luke 23
Luke 23:1-2 The Jewish leaders were not able to issue capital punishment, so they took him before Pilate with trumped up political charges in order to get a death sentence.
Luke 23:3 “Are you the king of the Jews?” While “Christ” (Greek) or “Messiah” (Hebrew) would have been insignificant to Pilate, he would have considered Jesus’ claim to be a king as a threat.
Luke 23:4 While Jesus affirms Pilate’s question in verse 3, it seems Pilate decides Jesus is not a political threat.
Luke 23:9 “Jesus refused to answer.” Isaiah 53:7 predicts Jesus’ silence while he was being accused.
Luke 23:29 In ancient culture, childlessness was the cause of great shame, therefore Jesus’ words represented a shocking reversal. Jesus infers that the childless will not have to watch their children suffer before their eyes.
Luke 23:31 “For if men do these things when the tree is green…when it is dry” Dry wood burns more easily than fresh cut wood. This saying probably means that if the Romans would crucify an innocent man in peaceful times (green wood), how much worse will they do during revolutionary times (dry wood).
Luke 23:50-56 Jewish people sought to bury a crucified body before nightfall, especially if the Sabbath was beginning the next day. However, the Romans wanted crucified bodies to be displayed to invoke fear. So Jews were often denied the right to remove the body.

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.27.10.

TUESDAY — The “Know-How”
Today’s Big Point: Wisdom is not just knowledge, but “know-how.”

Wisdom cannot exist without a knowledge of all the facts pertinent to any purpose or plan. The God who is all-wise is also the God who is all-knowing.

     The twentieth century produced an information explosion unparalled in human history – instant access to volumes of knowledge at the click of a mouse. Yet with all we have learned and with all that’s been written, God’s wisdom is still important in order to answer life’s most basic questions like: How did we get here? Where do I go when I die? What is the meaning of life?
     God has given man the ability to study, analyze, categorize and develop the physical resources of this earth to benefit physical life. But, that’s where his wisdom ends. Here is a definition of God’s wisdom: “Wisdom is the power to see, and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. Wisdom is, in fact, the practical side of moral goodness. As such, it is found in its fullness only in God. He alone is naturally and entirely and invariably wise.” (information adapted from J. MacArthur, A.W. Tozer and J.I. Packer)

READ…What does the Bible say?
Ephesians 1:16-18 (New Living Translation)
16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called — his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

Romans 11:33 (New Living Translation)
33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

THINK…Find the answers
Today’s introduction unpacks a definition of God’s perfect wisdom. When you read Ephesians 1:16-18, how would you define spiritual wisdom that every believer should possess?

Compare the differences between “spiritual wisdom” and “earthly wisdom.”

Digging Deeper: Here are some additional verses for you if you would like to study a bit more about what the Bible has to say about God’s wisdom. Psalm 147:5, Job 12:13, Job 36:5, James 3:17-18, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 55:8-9

Take a few moments and contemplate the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 11:33: “…how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!”

What are some of your thoughts about Paul’s words?

Great Metaphysical Questions
~Why is there something rather than nothing?
~Why is anything in motion rather than everything still?
~Why is there order rather than chaos?
~Why is there music?
-from The Truth Project

LIVE…What will you do now?
There are a lot of smart people in our world today. Frankly, with our access to information, we can all be smart. However, there are a lot of smart people out there who end up in dumb situations.

Reflect on your definition of spiritual wisdom. How are you using spiritual wisdom in the following areas of your life: your relationships, your personal integrity, your career/job, your life goals and dreams?

PRAY…God, What do you want me to know & do?
Dear God, I want to be wise. However, I cannot have true wisdom without fully submitting my life to you. You are the source of all riches, wisdom and knowledge. I pray that I would apply Your wisdom in every area of my life. Open my eyes to the areas where I am relying on my own wisdom. God, please send people into my life to challenge me to pursue Your highest, wisest ways. Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: Luke 22
Luke 22:1 Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover were two festivals linked together and celebrated on the 15th of Nisan (March/April) in Jerusalem.
Luke 22:7 Passover began at sunset. Each family would roast one lamb and eat it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The bitter herbs represented slavery in Egypt and the unleavened bread represented the haste in which the Israelites had to leave Egypt.
Luke 22:10 Normally women carried water jars, so the man would stand out. (Genesis 24:11; John 4:7)
Luke 22:17 Traditionally, Passover is celebrated with four different cups of wine: first with the opening prayer; second after the explanation of Passover; third following the meal of lamb, herbs and bread and fourth after singing the final portion of a song.
Luke 22:21 Sharing a meal indicates friendship and trust, so to be betrayed by Judas at the Passover meal is particularly shocking.
Luke 22:42 “Take this cup from me.” Drinking a cup was a common metaphor for experiencing a traumatic event.
Luke 22:44 “Sweat like drops of blood” is the source of debate. While there are medical conditions that support a human’s ability to sweat blood (hematidrosis), some scholars place emphasis on Luke’s usage of the words, “like blood.”

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.26.10.

Series: Essentials
Spiritual Wisdom

Run for Cover!
     As crazy as our world is around us, we need every advantage that we can possibly get to help us in life. When times are tough, as they are now—our country at war, many people laid off from their jobs, an uncertainty about the future — we need hope for these difficult times. How can we make it through? How can we ride out the storm?

“A question that sometimes drives me hazy:
Am I or are the others crazy?”
- Albert Einstein

     For answers to these questions, we turn to the Bible. Take the book of Proverbs for example…the majority of the Proverbs come from King Solomon, the son of David. Solomon was the man who God granted the opportunity to ask for anything. Rather than riches, Solomon asked that God give him wisdom. Listen to what the Bible tells us about Solomon in 1 Kings 4:29-34: “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man… And his (Solomon’s) fame spread to all the surrounding nations… He described plant life… He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.”
     Wisdom is a very powerful, and at times, elusive quality that few possess in great quantity. The word “wisdom” is obviously a main theme throughout the Proverbs, occurring 41 times throughout the book. Wisdom has been defined and described in many different ways. The American Heritage Dictionary defines “wisdom” as “understanding of what is true, right, or lasting; common sense; good judgment; learning.”
     Often, people confuse being smart with wisdom. Automaker Henry Ford asked electrical genius Charlie Steinmetz to build the generators for his factory. One day the generators ground to a halt and the repairmen couldn’t find the problem. So Ford called Steinmetz, who tinkered with the machines for a few hours and then threw the switch. The generators whirred to life–but Ford got a bill for $10,000 from Steinmetz. Flabbergasted, the rather tightfisted car maker inquired why the bill was so high. Steinmetz’s reply: For tinkering with the generators…$10. For knowing where to tinker…$9,990. Henry Ford paid the bill.
     No matter how smart you think you are, there is a difference between being smart and being spiritually wise—it is important for you to know the difference. This week’s study will focus on the topic of spiritual wisdom discussed in Ephesians 1 and how we can incorporate spiritual wisdom into our everyday life.

**IMPORTANT** – Thank you for your patience with the Daily Bible Readings. There will be two chapters to read on Monday and then, the readings will resume on schedule.

MONDAY — Christ: The Wisdom of God
Today’s Big Point: Christ is referred to as “The Wisdom of God” throughout the Bible. “In him lie all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)

God says that His foolishness is greater than the wisdom of man! And yet in Ephesians 3, Paul speaks of God’s purpose as God is presently working to display His wisdom through the church. Why would God choose to use such “foolish people” to display His wisdom? How does the church demonstrate His wisdom?

READ…What does the Bible say?
Ephesians 1:3 (New Living Translation)
3 “How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.”

1 John 5:20 (New Living Translation)
20 “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God…”

THINK…Find the answers
Since Christ is the Wisdom of God, it’s logical to assume that we must get to know Christ more intimately in order to tap into the Godly wisdom needed for daily life. Find other verses in the Bible, such as Philippians 3:10, that tell how to know Christ.
*What do Ephesians 1:3 and 1 John 5:20 have in common?

*Do the verses mention any prerequisites to knowing Christ?

*What are some of the benefits or rewards of knowing Christ?

Read Ephesians 1:3 again. Define the terms “spiritual blessing” and “heavenly realms”.

LIVE…What will you do now?
Do you want to have Godly wisdom in your personal life for every situation? If so, you will need to get to know the Wisdom of God (Christ). In what circumstances in your life today do you need Godly wisdom?

One commentary for Ephesians 1:3 states that “every spiritual blessing” means that we have all the benefits of knowing God. For example, we have the power to do God’s will and we have God’s forgiveness. Additionally, we have the blessing of Godly wisdom.

How will possessing these benefits give you confidence to apply Godly wisdom in that critical area identified in the last question?

PRAY…God, What do you want me to know & do?
Lord, thank you for sending Jesus who is the embodiment of your wisdom. I thank You for all the blessings and resources available to me through Him. I ask for wisdom in __________________. In James 1, it says that if I need wisdom then I should pray and ask for it. God, I am asking for the wisdom that only You can provide. I believe that You will give it to me. Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: Luke 20 & 21
Luke 20:1-8 This chapter features a series of conflicts between Jesus and the religious leaders in Jerusalem. These conflicts set up the plot to arrest Jesus.
Luke 20:3-4 “From heaven” means “from God,” a Jewish expression used to avoid using God’s divine name.
Luke 20:6 “The people will stone us.” Stoning was the Old Testament punishment for blasphemy and the religious leaders were concerned that if they rejected a prophet of God, then they might be at risk of that punishment.
Luke 20:9-19  Parable of the Talents – in this parable the owner is God, the tenants represent Israel’s corrupt religious leaders, the servants represent the prophets, the owner’s son represents Jesus.
Luke 20:17-18 “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces…” God’s kingdom is portrayed as a stone not made by human hands and endures forever. Jesus is considered the rejected stone who will triumph over all who rejected him.

Luke 21
Luke 21:1-4 The term “gazophylakion” is the Greek term referring to the trumpet-shaped chest or receptacle that people are throwing their offerings into.  The widow modeled generosity, even in her meager circumstances. In 2 Corinthians 9, the Apostle Paul discusses generosity at length. Challenge yourself to read that chapter and ask yourself the question: “What would it take for me to be generous?”
Luke 21:5 Herod the Great’s greatest building project was the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem. The project began in 20BC and took over 45 years to construct the Temple. Rather than stone, the temple was constructed of imported white marble and some of the building stones weighed over 100 tons. The temple would be destroyed in 70 AD.
Luke 21:6-11 While it is natural for us to want to know about the timing and specific details of future events, it is more important for us to be focused on the things God has called us to do.
Luke 21:12-18 “Not a hair of your head will perish” is an idiom meaning complete protection. There’s a reference to martyrdom in verse 16, so this idiom is probably referring to spiritual rather than physical deliverance.

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for the week of 7.26.10.

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 7.24.10.

The Book of Ephesians
Essentials for: Spiritual Wisdom
Kyle Gray, Teaching Pastor
July 24 & 25, 2010

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, EPHESIANS 1:3

. . . that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, EPHESIANS 1:17

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! PSALM 111:10

The K___________ to wisdom is how we apply

K________________________________.

W__________________ wisdom is all about M_____.

S______________________ wisdom is learning how to cope with it N____________ being about M_____.

All Scripture is from the English Standard Version.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

ICEBREAKER: What is the dumbest thing you have ever done?

1. Who is the wisest person you know? What makes that person so wise?

2. There are a lot of smart people in the world who end up doing dumb things. Therefore, being intelligent doesn’t always yield wisdom. After listening to this weekend’s message, what makes a person truly wise?

3. The key phrase of this weekend’s message is “spiritual wisdom.” What is the difference between being a Christ-follower that incorporates spiritual wisdom into everyday life and the Christ-follower who still applies human wisdom?

4. Can you think of some examples where earthly wisdom conflicts with spiritual wisdom? For example: Earthly wisdom dictates we should repay evil for evil, but God’s wisdom says that we are to love our enemies. Can you think of any other examples and why God’s wisdom is ultimately best for us?

5. We learned that wisdom is more than just intellectual comprehension. Spiritual wisdom must include application of God’s truths to our lives. When do you struggle to apply God’s wisdom to your life? If you applied God’s wisdom – knowing that He wants what is ultimately best for you – how do you think your life would be affected?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of July.)
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for
will actually happen; it gives us assurance
about things we cannot see.
HEBREWS 11:1 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.23.10.

FRIDAY — Old Testament Friends
Today’s Big Point: Old friends have shared experiences, likes, loves, and memories. They have been there to teach us and to serve us in our times of need. We have a crowd of friends in the Old Testament waiting to share these same things.

In summary of the last eight weeks, as we looked back on the lives of Old Testament heroes during The Classics series, it is important to remember a few common themes.
~The first theme to remember is that God chooses the person with the strongest character to lead his people to victory at crucial times. The key elements for such leadership are faith, trust, and worship.
~The second theme to remember is that the faith of the Old Testament heroes was a faith for the real world and not for the restricted environment of professional religion.

Almost every man and woman in the Old Testament did faith oriented things for which we credit them — not in religious environments, but in real-world environments. Shadrach and his friends did their faith work in a city furnace. David did his work on battlefields, in palaces, and on his knees. Abraham did his work while involving his immediate family, Esther did hers in the king’s palace, Ruth did hers in the fields of foreign land, and Gideon in the fields of enemy infested camps. These men and women and many others of the Old Testament were administrators, scholars, builders, warriors, and merchants. For the most part, they were not clergy. They were the people of the streets and their faith was defined in terms of a God who wanted to be active in the streets. Their jobs were the work of the streets; but we, in our lack of imagination, have taken these men and women off the streets (figuratively speaking) and made them seem like theologians and full-time religious workers. In short, we have tended to tame these men and women of the Bible, making them smaller than life. It has not occurred to us that they could have been construction workers on a highway project, manufacturers, secretaries, and managers in our day. The result? We do not fully appreciate that their faith was a faith for the real world. These men and women of the Old Testament were meant to be like old friends to us. We were meant to see ourselves in their story. We were meant to study their life and ask questions like…What caused them to be successful? How did they choose to honor God despite their circumstances? What made them unique? We were meant to look at their lives and imitate the godly characteristics that we observe in them. As we close the Classics series, do you see yourself observing them in this way?

Weekend Reminders:
Come Celebrate! In two short months we’ll celebrate the past and imagine the future at CedarCreek’s 15th Anniversary Celebration-Friday, September 10th at Huntington Center in Downtown Toledo. Tickets are $10 to $12 and include a delicious stadium-style meal and an incredible night of music and fun. Stop by the Welcome Center/Connecting Point at any CedarCreek campus for tickets!

DAILY BIBLE READING COMMENTARY:
Luke 19:1 Zacchaeus isn’t just a hated tax collector, but he is the chief tax collector – the worst amongst the worst. Jesus scandalized the Jewish community to openly advertising that he was going to go to Zacchaeus’ home.
Luke 19:8 As a result of Jesus’ radical move to cross social lines, Zacchaeus’ heart was changed in a radical way. While giving to the poor was a sign of piety, it was considered unwise to give away more than 20% of one’s worth. However, Zacchaeus decided to give away half – now that’s generosity! Additionally, restitution was an additional 20% over the value of what was lost. Zacchaeus’ heart was so radically changed that he promised to give back 400% of what was ill-gotten.
Luke 19:10 As depicted in Zacchaeus’ story, the theme of Luke constantly portrays the lengths that Jesus would go to seek and save those that were lost. This theme should introduce a certain level of tension in our lives…what are we willing to do – to stretch our faith toward – in order to share the gospel message behind and beyond the walls of CedarCreek Church?
Luke 19:11-27 Matthew records a similar story titled The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30).  Persecuted for centuries, the Jews were waiting for a Messiah to come to earth and in a visible show of power, punish the pagan rulers that had mistreated the Jewish people. Jesus points out that he will receive this royal authority, not in Jerusalem, but in heaven at God’s right hand (Acts 2:32-36). 

HomePointe Family Activity Section
Coming this fall, we will kick off our all new CedarCreek family ministry called HomePointe. Families will be able to take part in opportunities and resources at CedarCreek that will assist them in their journey to intentionally grow a Godly family. The following family activity is just one of the many resources we will be offering.

Big Point for Parents: Leadership is an important aspect of growing a Godly family at home. Leading at home is an essential means of maturing and refining men and women for wider influence. Home is the first and most consistent context in which we prove ourselves worthy and make ourselves ready for what God might ask us to do when we grow up to be adults. That’s why leading at home is the proving ground of success.

Big Point for Children: God will give us opportunities to lead at home so that we are practiced up and ready to lead when we grow up.

Lesson: The primary qualification for leading at church is leading well at home. In the New Testament, Timothy and Paul were both trying to appoint church leaders. Paul listed several items that every person interested should have as personal qualities (read 1 Timothy 3:5). When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon he gave him one task at a time so that he could prove himself obedient and faithful with each task (read Judges 6).

Activity: As a family, talk about the importance of Dad and Mom leading well at home. Have the children list ways that Dad and Mom lead the family well. Great leaders don’t just teach what they believe… they live it! Finally, list ways the children can begin to practice their leadership through chores and activities at home.

Pray: God help our family to live what we believe!

Living It Out: July’s Memory Verse
“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”
Hebrews 11:1 (New Living Translation)

Living It Out
It is the dream of CedarCreek that everyone who calls this their church home will be reading and studying the same topics, both individually and in groups. Each week, join with thousands of others at CedarCreek Church in applying God’s Word, the Bible, into your daily life. Our hope is that while we learn and grow together, as individuals and as a church, we will collectively live out the weekend message.

Living It Out resources, such as the Daily Bible Study, Daily Bible Reading Plan, Discussion Questions and Scripture Memory Verses, are designed to help us embrace a missional mindset…a mindset that compels us to love Jesus, serve others and tell the world about Christ.
Living It Out: Daily Bible Study…Daily Bible study activities to reflect on the weekend message
Living It Out: Daily Bible Reading Plan…Read through the New Testament in a year
Living It Out: Discussion Questions…Weekly questions to discuss with others
Living It Out: Scripture Memory…Memorize one Bible verse per month

All of these resources are also available electronically at www.livingitout.tv, where you can subscribe to have any or all of them emailed to you as they are updated.

We Want Your Feedback!
Tell us about any questions or comments you have about this week’s Living It Out: Daily Bible Study. Forward them to barbr@cedarcreek.tv.

RESOURCES:
The Leadership Bible
The Inspirational Bible
It Starts At Home; Kurt Bruner & Steve Stroope

This week’s Living It Out: Daily Bible Study written by:
Gina Carlson, Stephanie Coil, and Chantele Henry