Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

All Scripture is profitable and some scriptures take over your heart.

Scripture Text

Habakkuk 3:2

Main Points or Ideas

1. A Complaint by God’s Man (1:1-4)

2. • “Why God, are you letting things go so long and get so bad without doing anything?”

3. God’s Reply (1:5-11)

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• “I am working, I will work”
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• No matter what we think, God is at work - The God that Habakkuk wanted was not the God that is.
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• Isaiah 55:8

4. A Second Complaint and Questioning (1:12-17)

5. • “We deserve chastening… but they’re worse than we are - they deserve punishment!”

6. Change of Heart and Action (2:1)

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• Outward focus turned to upward focus
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• “Stay still for a while”

Building Toward Revival

1. The Site Preparation - Word of God - “Write the vision” (2:2-3)

2. The Foundation - Faith - “The just shall live by faith” (2:4)

• Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11’ Hebrews 10:38
• “The first and primary work of the church is faith in Jesus Christ.” - Iain Murray
• We tend to let other things get in the way of spending time in the Word of God

3. Pillar One - Realize Sin is Doomed - REPENT (Ch. 2)

• We need to repent of sin in our lives

4. Pillar Two - Realize That God Will Glorify Himself - WITNESS (2:14)

• It takes faith to be a missionary
• Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20
• Revival always includes greater witness

5. Pillar Three - Realize That God Wants Worship - WORSHIP (2:20)

• We need to keep our focus on God

6. Roof - Revival “REVIVE THY WORK” (Ch. 3)

• A prayer; Shigionoth - A passionate praise in music
• Vv. 17-19 - Result of Revival
• God is our strength and song

Conclusion

Let’s get back to the basis of God’s Word and live by it.

Scripture Text

Corinthians 15:58

Main Points or Ideas

1. Be steadfast, be immovable (V. 58a)

• Firmly planted; glued in; firm
• If it is not time to move, don’t move
• What motivated Paul? - 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

2. Always abounding in the work of the Lord (V. 58b)

• Exceeding the requirements
• It is about character, giving 100%; 2 Corinthians 5:20
• Keep growing, abounding

3. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord (V. 58c)

• Toiling to the point of exhaustion
• Give 100%

Conclusion

Proverbs 3:5-6 - Do not undo, in God, what you started by faith.

Dr. Les Ollila shares his personal journey of 61 years in marriage and ministry, highlighting his commitment to God and his wife Charlene. He discusses their current life challenge with Charlene's health issues and reflects on how Christians should respond to difficult seasons of life.

Scripture Text

Philippians 3:13-14

Main Points or Ideas

1. Acknowledging Reality - When facing a crisis or difficult situation, we must first acknowledge that it is indeed happening and that it won't simply disappear overnight.

2. Accepting God's Plan - After acknowledgment comes acceptance. Dr. Ollila emphasizes that bitterness often results from refusing to accept what God brings into our lives. He notes that God opposes pride and sometimes uses difficult circumstances to humble us.

3. Adapting to a New Normal - Once we accept our situation, we must adapt and create "a new normal," potentially finding ministry opportunities within our changed circumstances. Dr. Ollila shares how he now sees caring for his wife as his primary ministry.

4. Accelerating Forward - Like Paul in Philippians 3:13-14, we must press forward rather than dwelling on the past, focusing on Christ's calling in our lives.

5. Understanding Suffering's Purpose - Dr. Ollila explains that suffering comes in different forms:

   • Suffering for the cause of Christ
   • Suffering as a consequence of our choices
   • Suffering for conformity to Christ's image

Conclusion

Dr. Ollila's testimony demonstrates how God uses every circumstance, including suffering and life changes, to shape us into Christ's image. By acknowledging, accepting, adapting, and accelerating forward with joy, believers can find purpose and meaning in their challenges while reflecting Christ to others.

Scripture TextMain PointsConclusion

Dr. Jim talks about the qualities of godly mentors from Titus 2.

Scripture Text

Titus 2:1-2

Main Points or Ideas

Leviticus 19:32; Proverbs 16:31 - Respect for older men

What does a good mentor look like?

1. Sober - temperate, a good example

2. Reverent - dignified, not laughing at the expense of others

• Inability to laugh isn’t a sign of holiness, but a sign of bitterness

3. Sensible - grown in discernment, not afraid to make mistakes

4. Sound in Faith - trusting God in every way, especially when it doesn’t make sense; staying firm

5. Sound in Love

• Do you love God in the same way you love others and things?
• Does he choose his wife and family well? - 1 John 4

6. Perseveres

Conclusion

Do you look to older mentors or to the younger ones around you for guidance?

Our perspective in trials determines our reward from trials.

Scripture Texts

James 1:2-4

Main Points or Ideas

1. We must have the right perspective… (v. 2)

• What the joy is not
• What the joy is
• What the trials are

2. …On the process… (v. 3)

• The testing produces endurance
• It takes time
• The trusting can be sabotaged

3. … Leading to the prize! (v. 4)

• Mature, complete, lacking in nothing
• God is not interested in testing you in areas that you are strong. He wants to make us strong where we are weak.

Conclusion

For most of us, joy looks like getting rid of our trials; Scripture says you’ll never get rid of trials. We instead will learn to endure and get stronger.

You do not get far in life without power of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture Text

Acts 1:8

Main Points or Ideas

Three Offenses We Bring to the Spirit:

1. Quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

• Can be jumping into reading God’s Word without seeking the Author Himself
• We need His help in everything
• Snuffing the Flame

2. Grieving the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)

• God knows the thoughts and intentions of our heart intimately.
• Do you really please God with your thoughts, words, and actions?
• His ability to minister in our lives is hindered by a tainted conscience
• It is a God-given command to us to be filled with the Holy Spirit

3. Resisting the Spirit (Acts 7:51)

   • It is actively opposing His work in our lives

The Christian life is to be powerful, fruitful, and full of the Holy Spirit

He has given us power through the Holy Spirit

Questions:

1. Who are you in your weaknesses?

2. Have you been offending the Spirit?

Conclusion

We will have trials in life, but we have the power of the Spirit of God

How are you responding to God’s call in life?

Scripture Text

Jeremiah 1

Main Points or Ideas

We may have these responses:

• “I don’t know”

• “I don’t know how”

• “I don’t want to”

• “I am scared”

• “I am uncomfortable”

How God gives His grace:

1. God Calls (vv. 1-3)

• He calls Jeremiah to be a prophet, a hard and faithful ministry
• The land was reformed but had no revival
• Do you feel inadequate? Observe:
• God gives grace to the most inadequate people

2. God Gives (vv. 4-5)

• Before we are born
• Language used
• God is actively pouring out grace on sinners
• 1 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

3. God Wins (vv. 6-19)

• 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
• Jeremiah’s two weaknesses
• God’s truths and promises
• God’s Word is adequate

Conclusion

Don’t forget God’s grace

William Borden's tombstone says, “Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life.”

Scripture Texts

Romans 8:12-17

Main Points or Ideas

1. Verse 12 - Have your status understood and realized; under bondage, a debtor

• Not as slavery, listed in verse 15
• Under an obligation - V. 12a
• Live not under the flesh, but under Christ

2. Verse 13 - Kill the actions of the body

• Don’t allow sin to be a tyrant
• Desires are the index of the sou
• We can present bodily members as weapons of righteousness
• Christ has set us free from sin - V. 2

3. Verse 15 - We did not receive a spirit of bondage, but one of adoption

• “Cry out” - Matthew 14:30

4. Verse 16 - Spirit of God testifies with our spirit that we are children of God

5. Verse 17 - Suffering with Him leads to being glorified with Him

• Vv. 27-28 - a searching and intercession; working all things for good, according to His purpose

6. John Owen: “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.”

• We never fully root out sin as long as we are in our mortal bodies.
• Habitually weaken habits of sin and lust with the same intensity and power as it comes after us. (Luke 22)
• It is only accomplished by God’s Spirit of life indwelling in us.
• God’s Spirit of life is implanting in every believer charitable grace.
• Mortification of sin must be instant, as imaginations and lies go after us.

Conclusion

Are you going to choose well?

You are not in the flesh if the Spirit of God dwells within you.

Scripture Texts

Romans 8:9-11

Main Points or Ideas

1. Verse 9 - Three Descriptive Phrases for the Holy Spirit

• John 14:16-21, 28 - The trinity and Jesus; Authority does not diminish the personhood
• Colossians 2 - fullness of the Godhead
1. Verse 10 - If Christ is in you; death and life

• Galatians 2:20 - Christ in you
• 1 Corinthians 6 - living temples for the Spirit
• Be extremely careful to do what the Lord would have you do
1. Verse 11 - The Spirit who raised Christ dwells in you
• He moves us to our future (11b)
• Spirit gives life and change to our mortal bodies

Conclusion

Because of the Spirit, you will have resurrected life one day (Romans 8:12-13).

It is daunting to ask the Lord to shape our hearts to the likeness of Christ.

Scripture Texts: Romans 8:1-14

Main Points or Ideas:

• Romans 8:29 - it [our status] is to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ

• 8:2 - Christ sets us free from sin and death

• “Spirit” - 1:4; 2:28-29; 5:5; 7:6

• We can find our identity/status in the Holy Spirit

• God did what the Law (weakened by the flesh) could not do

• 8:3 - He condemned sin in the flesh

• If were not for Christ, we would be condemned

• V. 1 - Therefore now there is no condemnation…

• Vv. 5-8 - the flesh versus Christ

• Either in Adam or in Christ

• Flesh cannot please God

• One man, appointed for many

• Adam - appointed sin for all

• Christ - appointed righteousness for many

Conclusion: “If my life is the only evidence that Jesus Christ is alive, would anyone be convicted?” - Butterfield