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R = REALLY LOVE GOD

I =  INTENTIONALLY RELATE

D = DEVELOP GOD GIVEN GIFTS

E = ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME AND RIDE

Synopsis: So far we have learned in the previous three studies based on our vision statement that we must: Really Love God, Intentionally Relate, and Develop our God-Given Gifts. We will now conclude with:

E = Encourage Others to “Come and Ride.”

As a church representing Christ, we need to intentionally reach out to the community in ways that meet their needs just as he modeled. False thinking is: “Build it and they will come.” That may be a fine premise for a movie, but the reality is people in the community will have no regard for what is going on inside our building if they don’t sense a connection outside of our building. So this next series of four weeks, which will conclude the Discipleship University classes, will endeavor to make us think outside the confines of the church building and search for ways that we can reach out to the community with a heart-of-Jesus style love.

STEP ONE: _______________________________________________.

The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus states:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Evangelism must be _________________ led, not man _______________ efforts.

2 Corinthians 2:17 We do not peddle the Word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

2 Corinthians 4:2 We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the Word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Colossians 4:2-6 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

John 7:18 He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

The following is taken from: “Experiencing God, Knowing and Doing the Will of God,” by Henry Blackaby & Claude King.

God ___________ you to join Him. The Bible is the record of God’s activity in the world. In it He reveals Himself by His nature, His purposes and plans, and His ways. The Bible is not primarily a book about individual persons and their relationship with God, but rather it is about the activity of God and His relationship with individuals. The focus is on God and His activity.

God works _______________ people. The Bible reveals that God has always been involved in the world. He has never been absent from it or from what is taking place in history. When we read the Bible, we are reading the redemptive activity of God in our world. We see that He takes the initiative and involves His people with Him. He chooses to work through them to accomplish His purposes.

God makes __________ and ____________ them to His ________________.

The Bible reveals that when God wants to do something, He takes the initiative and invites His servants to adjust their lives so that they can complete His plans. The prophet Amos writes in Amos 3:7, “The Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.”

God’s revelation is my ____________________ to join Him. When we want to learn how to know and do the will of God, we can find no better example than Jesus. He perfectly executed every assignment the Father gave Him to do.

John 5:17; 19-20, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too, am working. I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.”

This describes a love relationship through which God accomplishes His purposes. This model is not only for your personal life, but for the church. It is not a step-by-step approach or program, it is all about intimately relating to God and others.

The ____________ God speaks to me is the when He wants me to ____________.

Some of us assume that when God speaks to us that we have time to process and ponder the correct timing for doing His will. The moment God speaks to you is God’s timing! If it wasn’t time to do something, then God wouldn’t speak to you about it! So, when God speaks to you, you need to trust and believe in God.

So how do I know when God speaks?

There are four ways God uses to speak to us:

1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
4. _________________________

Sin has so affected us that we cannot understand the truth of God unless the Holy Spirit of God reveals it to us.

Romans 3:10-11 “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.”

When the Holy Spirit teaches you the Word of God sit before Him and respond to Him. As you pray, first listen, and then watch to see how God uses the Word to confirm in your heart a word from Him. Watch and learn what He is doing around you through circumstances. The God who is speaking to you as you pray, and the in the Scriptures, is the God who is working around you in circumstances and in the church. There is no secret formula to know that God is speaking to you, but evidence from scripture shows us that every person God spoke to knew it was Him speaking to them.

Hebrews 1:1 “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.”

The key to ______________ God’s ___________ comes from having an intimate love relationship with God.

John 8:47 “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

When God speaks He reveals His ________________________________.

Genesis 6:12-13 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth, so make yourself an ark…”

Exodus 3:9-10 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.

God’s plans and purposes will be matched to our __________________.

When God called Abram He said, “I will make your name great.” (Genesis 12:2) What God meant was; I will develop your character to match your assignment.

As a church joining God in His work of evangelizing, our ____________ (how we act), _________________, (who we reflect) and _______________ (our values) must be transformed by the ____________________.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at a proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.