Christian husband, father of 3 and bi-vocational pastor
Preacher: Pastor Ray
The question running through the book of Job is why — specifically, why is Job suffering? In anger, God finally speaks to Job and Job’s friends. In the aftermath, Job repents. Job’s friends repent. But the reason for Job’s suffering is not given. Instead, Job receives a different kind of wisdom from above.
Preacher: Pastor Ray
Victory over sin, Satan and death began at the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus struggled with and overcame His soul–His mind, emotions and will–by accepting the cup of God’s wrath in submission to the Father’s will.
Read Rom 8:15.
– What causes a Romans 8 believer to fall back into Romans 7?
– What is the definition of fear? Why is fear the opposite of faith?
Read Rom 8:12-13.
– Fearfulness is an expression of fleshliness. Explain this statement in light of Rom 8:12-15.
– What does it mean to live according to the flesh?
– Your change is an evidence of salvation. Distinguish between salvation by works vs. works following salvation.
– What is the end result of those who continue living according to their flesh?
– If your concept of grace is that it’s a covering for sin and there is no expectation for true change over time, then how does this mindset turn grace into a license to sin?
Read Heb 3:7-19.
– What was God’s intention in bringing His people through the wilderness for 40 years?
– The people could not enter God’s rest because of their unbelief. Does this assessment of this generation shock you?
Rom 8:16-17 and Rom 8:31-35.
– True faith is a faith that endures testing and perserves to the end. Do you agree or disagree?
– What conditional clause do you see in Rom 8:17? How do we validate that we are in fact children of God, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ?
– How does Paul define suffering? Compare your day-to-day “suffering” versus Paul’s examples of suffering.
– What did God reveal to Ananias about the future of Apostle Paul when he was Saul the believer, blind and awaiting further direction from the Lord?
– Do you agree or disagree that Christians in America as a whole have untested faith?
– Suffering is simply an opportunity to manifest faith. Explain.
Read Rom 8:35.
– What do you notice about the grammar of this verse?
– How is this verse related to spiritual warfare?
Read Rom 8:36-39.
– How does the world look at the Christian who is undergoing suffering?
– What is Paul’s answer to the question, Are we like “sheep to be slaughtered?
We are lamb-like in terms of our humility but lion-like in terms of our faith. We are made in the image of Jesus, who is both the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah.
– Explain these statements above.
– Do you conceive of your identity in Christ as a victim or a victor?
Read Rom 8:31 – “…If God is for us, who can be against us?”
– If you lack faith, what is your answer to the question, “who can be against us?”
– If you have faith, what is your answer to that same question?
Read Rom 8:32 – let the truth of this verse minister God’s love into your heart.
Read Rom 8:33-34.
– Who is the one who brings a charge against you and brings condemnation to you?
– How do you answer in the midst of these spiritual attacks?
Read Rom 8:15.
– Read this verse without faith (ending the verse with a question mark) and read this verse with faith (ending with an exclamation point).
– Why is this verse the roar of faith?
– Recall the example from the movie, “Glory.” How does the final battle scene epitomize the life of faith and the transformation that occurs as we endure suffering?