JD Bowman | Destined for Greatness

LET GOD DEFINE WHO THE TRUE HERO IS. (22-26)

?- How well does your greatest hero compare to the perfection of Jesus Christ?

LET JESUS RECEIVE ALL YOUR WORSHIP & OBEDIENCE. (8-12)

1 Chronicles 5:1–2 “Judah became strong among his brothers and a chief came from him”

Psalm 78:67–71 “He rejected the tent of Joseph… he chose the tribe of Judah… He chose David… he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.”

Ezekiel 21:25–27 “A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it. This also shall not be, until he comes, the one to whom judgment belongs, and I will give it to him.”

Psalm 2:1–9 “6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.’”

Revelation 5:5, 9 “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered”… “by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation”

?- How would I rate my obedience to Jesus as my king?

a. I don’t think He’s worthy of my obedience.

b. I respect Him, but I’m not a fanatic.

c. I recognize that He’s worthy of my all, but I give about half.

d. I regularly seek His glory & bow to His will for my life.

JD Bowman | Foreshadows of Saving Grace

1. LOOK UPON ALL OF GOD’S GOODNESS TO YOU AS GRACE. (3-4)

Like Jacob, we only experience God’s blessing of a saving relationship with God by His grace.

?- Do I tend to think that I deserve for God to be at work for me?

?- Do I realize that the only reason why I am able to have a relationship with God is because of receiving Christ’s death and resurrection to count on my behalf?

2. LET GOD BLOW YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT HE CAN ACCOMPLISH. (11-16)

Like Jacob, we can be blessed by God far more than we ever expected, and the greatest blessing is growth in our relationship with Him.

?- Are your prayers limited by what you think God is capable of or willing to do?

?- Are you stuck in sin or discouragement because you’re believing that God isn’t interested in helping you find freedom?

3. LOOK AT ALL YOU HAVE FROM GOD AS BEING BY HIS SOVEREIGN GRACE. (17-20)

As it was with Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph’s sons, God is in sovereign control of how and how much He blesses us.

?- As a person who’s been saved, do I recognize that it’s only by God’s sovereign grace?

?- What is there in my life that I might pridefully look at and think, “God didn’t provide that to me. I did.”

JD Bowman | Foreshadows of Saving Grace

1. LEAN ON JESUS’ ACHIEVEMENTS. (1-6)

Like Joseph’s family, we benefit from Jesus using his achievements and reputation for the salvation of those who trust in Him as Savior.

? Knowing Christ, do I believe that God sees me through Christ’s righteousness?

? Not knowing Christ, do I think that God accepts me as I am?

2. ENJOY WHAT JESUS PROVIDES. (11-12)

Like Joseph’s family, we’re provided with an overabundance of grace as God works everything to conform us to the image of Jesus.

3. EMBRACE YOUR PRIVILEGED POSITION. (27)

Like Joseph’s family, we are in a much different position than the world around us who owe a debt to God that they could never pay.

? Am I living from a “debtor’s ethic” or a “repayment mentality” trying to repay God for the grace that I’ve received?

? Do I believe that I’m in jeopardy of losing my privileged position?

JD Bowman | Face the Facts

FACE IT. LIFE IS ABOUT GLORIFYING GOD IN GOD’S WAY. (1-7)

Jacob glorifies God with sacrifice and in obedience by following His instructions even though they seem like a setback.

?- How might I lack total obedience to God because of my ideas about how my life should go?

?- Which of these assurances from God enable me to trust Him more? (John 14:3, Rom 8:28-29, Eph 1:13, 1 John 3:2)

FACE IT. GOD’S PLAN IS BIGGER THAN GOD’S PEOPLE. (26-27)

Jacob’s family (the family of Israel) is set to become God’s nation and usher in the Messiah.

?- Do I recognize the significance of playing the smallest part in the redemption story of the greatest hero that never existed?

?- Am I willing to let my desires and plans die so that Christ might be glorified in the lives of others?

FACE IT. GOD’S PLAN WORKS BY GOD’S TIMING. (28-34)

Joseph and Jacob’s reunion takes place in God’s perfect timing for His people to be in the perfect environment to grow into a great nation.

?- Am I OK with my story being about God’s bigger plan for His glory?

?- If not, why not?

Josh Carpenter | A Gracious Reunion

JD Bowman | The Winding Road of Reconciliation

Be Generous with Grace. (Eph 4:32)

?- In my relationships that need reconciliation, am I being generous with grace?

?- Am I keeping my heart free from anger, bitterness, or malice?

?- How do I think or talk about the person with whom I need reconciliation?

Change from Loving Self to Loving Others. (Eph 4:20–24 Phil 2:3–4)

• Change from Self-centeredness to Solidarity.

• Change from Self-concern to Sympathy.

• Change from Self-Protection to Substitution.

?- Where am I in the process of changing from loving myself to loving others?

?- Are there specific ways that God is convicting me at this time?

?- How do I need to change from self-centeredness to solidarity – sharing in the needs of others?

?- How do I need to change from self-concern to sympathy – bearing with one another in love?

?- How do I need to change from self-protective to a substitutionary mindset?

JD Bowman | The Road to Reconciliation

Trust God’s Sovereign Road Work

?- Can I look at bad experiences that I’ve had with others and trust that God was involved or intentionally allowed them to take place?

?- Do I trust God with my unfortunate past as well as with my future?

Avoid the Painful Roadblock of Estrangement

Jacob suffered in his fear & self-pity

Jacob’s sons suffered in the shame of their lies

?- How am I responding in relationships that need reconciliation?

?- How might God be pushing me toward something I dread because He knows that it will be best for me in the end?

Choose the Fast Lane of Forgiveness.

?- Have I embraced the gospel – the justice and grace of God’s sacrifice of His Son?

?- If I’ve been forgiven through Christ, what keeps me from being willing to forgive others?

Josh Carpenter | God’s Good Plan in a Troubled World

JD Bowman | While Waiting

WHILE YOU WAIT, LOVE GOD & LOVE OTHERS. (7-8)

?- What are my “eyes” looking to for my purpose right now?

?- Do I look for how I can bring God glory in other’s minds/lives?

?- Am I looking to the needs of others and how I might meet those needs?

WHILE YOU WAIT, TRUST GOD’S TIMING. (14-15, 23)

?- Can I trust God to have perfect timing with what He brings into my life?

?- Do I trust Him?

?- What is my attitude like when I’m stuck waiting in an uncomfortable situation?

WHILE YOU WAIT, BE ENCOURAGED BY GOD’S LONG-TERM PLAN. (1 Corinthians 2:9, Ephesians 2:4–7)

?- Where am I going to spend eternity?

?- Do I think about how this physical life will be a small blur in comparison to the millions of years I have after death?

?- If I’m treating my physical life as a time of preparation for eternity, what should change in my life?

JD Bowman | The Secret of Success

Keep Straight about What God Deserves. (6)

• God deserves to define wickedness.

• God deserves to be honored/worshiped when we’re tempted.

?- Am I listening to the justification for sin that’s so common in our world, or am I defining sin as God does in His Word?

?- Do I know what it means to lose a closeness with God when I choose to sin?

?- Do I ever make the choice to not sin so that I can maintain my fellowship with God.

Keep Your Character Even if You Have to Lose Your Shirt. (11-12)

?- What kind of embarrassment or ridicule am I willing to experience in order to obey God?

?- What kind of financial gain have I missed because I obeyed God?

?- What steps do I take to help me obey God?

a. Memorize scripture to help me keep the truth in mind

b. Contact a friend so they can pray for me and hold me accountable

c. Seek discipleship/counseling to understand my heart.

Keep Faithful Despite Your Circumstances. (13-23)

?- When I don’t like my circumstances, do I tend to think that God has left me?

?- Do I tend to think that God is going to put me in my preferred circumstance if I obey Him?