Genesis 40:23
Genesis 41:1

Delay does not mean denial.
God can change your prison sentence into a powerful deliverance in a single night.

Genesis 41:41-43

Luke 15:20-24

The Ring - The signet ring of the family reputation and fortune fully entrusted to him.
The Robe - The best robe.
The Royal Treatment - Killed the fattened calf and had a massive celebration.

The greatest news of all time: Your heavenly Father treats you with the reward of Joseph
even though you earned your prison sentence.

Response:
● Make the confession of the prodigal.
● Receive the embrace of the Father.
● Envision your own inauguration into the Royal Family.
● Worship God with profound gratitude.

Jim Ladd, January 24, 2021

WE CAN LEARN TO LISTEN TO GOD

THE BIG IDEA: I MUST LEARN TO HEAR GOD WHEN HE SPEAKS TO ME.

“IN OUR DAY HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE ON TIPTOE WAITING FOR THE EMERGING
OF A SPIRIT-LED, SPIRIT-INTOXICATED, SPIRIT-EMPOWERED PEOPLE. ALL OF
CREATION WATCHES EXPECTANTLY FOR THE SPRINGING UP OF A DISCIPLINED,
FREELY GATHERED, MARTYR PEOPLE WHO KNOW IN THIS LIFE THE LIFE AND
POWER OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. IT CAN HAPPEN
AGAIN.” RICHARD FOSTER

ACTS 13:1-3
ACTS 16:6-10

STEP ONE: MOVE FROM SPIRITUAL MINDLESSNESS TO MINDFULNESS.

THREE COMMON MISTAKES:
1. LOOKING FOR INSIDER INFORMATION
2. LOOKING FOR A BADGE OF SPIRITUALITY OR IMPORTANCE
3. LOOKING TO AVOID RISKS

STEP 11 OF 12-STEPS:
SEEK THROUGH PRAYER AND MEDITATION TO IMPROVE OUR CONSCIOUS CONTACT WITH GOD, PRAYING ONLY FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL AND THE POWER TO CARRY THAT OUT.

HELP MOVING FORWARD:
● LISTEN FOR THE SPIRIT CONTINUALLY.
● BE RELENTLESSLY RESPONSIVE.
● LISTEN FOR THE SPIRIT’S VOICE IN THE WORDS OF OTHERS
● PRACTICE LISTENING IN SMALL MATTERS.
● ASK GOD QUESTIONS AND QUIT TALKING.
○ WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN TRYING TO TEACH ME OVER THE PAST 30
DAYS?
○ WHAT IS THE COURAGEOUS THING I SHOULD CONSIDER DOING?
○ WHO IN MY OIKOS NEEDS ME RIGHT NOW?
○ WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THREE THINGS I SHOULD FOCUS
ON?
○ WHAT IS HOLDING ME BACK FROM BEING MORE WITH YOU?

RESPONSE:
● I WILL PRACTICE LISTENING.
● I WILL BE A RELENTLESS RESPONDER
● I WILL ENCOURAGE ________ IN MY OIKOS

Matthew 19:26b

Something that is impossible with man is absolutely possible with God.

BUT, with God all things are possible!

GO
SELL
GIVE AWAY
DISCOVER
FOLLOW

● What piece of your identity, security, and trust is holding you back?
● What must you give away that is impossible for you to give away?
● Are you willing to allow Jesus to help you give it away?

Will you:
● GO somewhere you’ve never gone?
● SELL what is most meaningful and empowering to you?
● GIVE AWAY to the powerless or poor?
● DISCOVER the most amazing treasure you’ve ever known?
● FOLLOW Jesus?

WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

The Big Idea: Your actionable decisions flow from your deeply held beliefs.

Exodus 33:12b-14

Matthew 11:28-30

John 14:25-27

Psalm 23 -
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing!
He leads me beside still waters, makes me lie down in green pastures, and restores my soul.

Many Christians are making actionable decisions from a non-biblical set of core beliefs

Six Calibrating Beliefs That Must Guide Our Actions:
We belong to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom
Our American citizenship is a stewardship issue, not an identity issue
We are politically homeless
Our call is to a cruciform life
There is no “Us and Them”
God is Sovereign and superintending His Story

RESPONSE:
I will seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness
I will live a cruciform posture in the world
I will encourage __________ in my Oikos

Romans 8 - Life governed by the Spirit is life and peace!

Matthew 6:19-34

TREASURE:
● Treasure management proceeds heart management.

EYES:
● The health of your eyes determines the light in your soul.

SLAVERY:
● You cannot serve two masters.

WORRY:
● Worry is the indicator that the first three are misaligned

Steps Forward:
● Accept reality.
● Become politically homeless:
● Trust in the Lord your God and serve Him only.
● Remain calm -the children are watching.
● Stop talking about it and only pray about it.
● Stop praying for deliverance and start praying for courageous strength.

"Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

IT IS ABOUT TRAINING VS TRYING
‭‭
1 Corinthians 9:25-27
‭‭
THE BIG IDEA: Following Jesus simply means learning from Him how to arrange my life in ways that enable me to live in the fruit of the Spirit.

THREE LIES ABOUT SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES:
Spiritual disciplines are a barometer of spirituality
Spiritual disciplines are unpleasant
Spiritual disciplines are a way to earn favor with God

Discipline: Any activity I can do by direct effort that will help me do what I cannot now do by direct effort.

Spiritual Discipline: Any activity that can help me gain power to live life as Jesus taught and modeled it.

The Discipline of CELEBRATION

John 16:21-24
‭
Philippians 4:4-7

‭‭
Joy is not optional. Joy is a command.

Nehemiah 8:9-12

‭‭
LET’S GET STARTED:
I must take responsibility for my joy.
I must do it TODAY
I must turn off the TV.
I must change my thinking patterns
I must anchor my joy to the One who loves me


RESPONSE:
I will rejoice in the Lord today
I will take responsibility to find joy every day
I will help ___________ from my Oikos to find some joy today

1 Timothy 2:1-4

Ephesians 2:1-10
The Big Idea: Transformation IS possible and hope is the fuel for the process.


THE FOUR “FIRSTS” IN THIS QUEST:


THE FIRST PARADIGM SHIFT: God is not interested in your spiritual life.

“Poiema” - God’s work of art.


THE FIRST ACTION: TURN ASIDE

Exodus 3

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”



THE FIRST GOAL: REAL transformation.

Morphoo - “The inward and real formation of the essential nature of a person”

Romans 8:29

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

“If you are weary of some sleepy form of devotion, probably God is as weary of it as you are.”
- Frank Laubach


THE FIRST DANGER: Pseudo Transformation

The strongest argument for Christianity is Christians.
The strongest argument against Christianity is Christians.

Response:
• I will believe for and seek real transformation.
• I will turn aside with God.
• I will encourage ___________ from my Oikos with this hope.

The Big Idea: Jesus can offer perfect peace because He is the Perfect Priest.

John 14:27

Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in PERFECT PEACE those whose minds are STEADFAST, because they TRUST IN YOU.”

Hebrews 7:16-28

Perfect peace comes only through a PERFECT PRIEST.

Open the gift of Jesus and His Redemptive work.

Big Idea: We can find security in an Everlasting Father.

Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah 9:1-2

John 15:4

Matthew 9:35