How do Christians normally expect God to answer a prayer?

I asked this of one of my groups the other night. Answers: with exactly what I prayed, signs, an audible voice, opening/closing doors, in music, symbology, through others.

Wisdom previous illumination or word of God, standard mind of Christ

Evaluating prayer life in terms of what the Bible shows

What does John 14:13-14 truly mean?

Luke 22

Abiding in the Father, abiding in the son, our prayers

What does it mean to persevere through a trial? How do we know we have done it?

Luke 22 Jesus deeply troubled in garden of Gethsemane. Perseverance through a trial should look like Jesus did, translate my pain into your glory. That I grow more into the image of Jesus. That we trust him, and grow in our faith, that we can handle the next trial more comfortably.

2 Corinthians 12:

What does the outcome and end result look like after a trial?

Romans 8

What does this perseverance do for the life of an abiding believer in Christ?

James 1:

Reminiscing through the last 100 episodes: What’s been your favorite episode and why?

Part 2. The pain and trial:

Many times we experience tremendous pain and grief at the loss in our lives.

Why do we want to avoid the pain?

Avoid sorrow, experiencing discomfort, stuck point to stay away from hurt

Luke 22- discipleship sleeping in the garden to avoid the sorrow.

Why doesn’t He always remove the pain from the loss or trials?

The Exodus

1 Peter 1:5-9

Romans 7

How can we experience the pain, but give it to the Lord?

Jeremiah-Lamentations 3:19

Part 1. The initial outlook:

Looking at loss in life can be difficult. There are many types of loss we may experience:

Loss of significant other, friends, jobs, clout, ability, financial stability, control, or even loss of self identity.

All these cause a varying level of grief in the life of the individual who is going through this. We understand this grief and can see it manifest in many different ways. It may come out through isolation, emotional outbursts, or in how we conduct ourselves each day.

Any time we are in the thick of the situation it is hard to stop and see the potential for God’s work through it. He is there.

What are some ways to see God’s work in difficult situations?

Remembering who God is and what he has done; both in history and in our own lives.

What are some tools or activities we can do to make sure we don’t miss Him in it all?

What does this begin to look like in the life of an abiding believer?

Keeping the eyes and heart fixed on the things above and not on our situation or problems.

We fill our life with the Word of God and life of God. Our new method of thinking becomes the mind of Christ. We start to look, speak, and act more like Jesus.

Elisha and the servant (2 Kings 6:8-19)

King David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4-37)

Genesis 1:26

Many different descriptions for made in Our likeness. Many aren’t correct in their interpretation. THere are rules to understanding the Word of God, it isn’t a ragtag series of verses. We need to understand the context of the writings of that book, what would have been understood by the original hearers and readers.

We don’t see God telling us what the image of God is. We do see Him give us a mission to do what he does. He Created, We procreate (creating in the world). We are his vice-regents. We are to rule in His Creation.

Romans 8:29

We have been called to be predestined to this likeness in Christ. In seeing the perfect representation of the Father, Jesus walked this world, as the express image of the Father. When we see this illustration through the life and works of Jesus, living in everything to glorify God, in works and words, and so we become the illustration of Jesus in this world. As we abide in Him and in His Word, we show Christ through our actions and words.

1 Corinthians 15:49

Earthly man is where we started, heavenly man is what we are becoming, since salvation.

John passages:

8:28-29- Jesus doesn’t do things on his own initiative.

12:49-50- I don’t speak on my own initiative

14:10- I don’t speak my words on my own initiative, but the Father in me.

2 Corinthians 3:18

We are truly being transformed into the image and likeness of Christ. Maybe your life doesn’t reflect that yet, just like the Corinthians weren’t. But stop and think about it. God’s glory is unveiling in us. The same truth applies to us as it did in Moses’ case, where he reflected the glory of God on his face. And as you understand this more, may your mouth drop at the illumination of it all. As Jesus abided in the Father’s Words and Works, we can in some aspect, see the same things in Him.

Supplemental Scripture 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8

The questions:

What does it mean likeness or image of God?

Why is this an important identity for the abiding brother or sister in Christ?

What do we need to do in order to look more like Jesus, become more and more the image bearers?

Go deeper and deeper into the Word of God. You don’t have to know everything, to display the wonders and beauty of the Lord. The Thessalonians didn’t have much knowledge due to Paul being pushed out of Thessalonika after just about 3 weeks. But it was enough to shine and unveil the glory of God in their lives, and spread throughout the lands.

As a citizen of heaven we have been left here by God to represent the kingdom of heaven. As people then see us, then they see Jesus.

Hebrews 11:13

If our hope is in our nation or government, in our citizenship here on this place we have very little hope. The world is falling apart, cultures are being destroyed and governments are being corrupted. If that’s truly our hope, we won’t find any strength. If our citizenship in heaven is our primary focus, then we can take strength and know our future is bright.

When one closely identifies with the conservative movement or progressive movement you will find they are likely not identifying with Jesus.

Our attitude needs to be measured by how we are ambassadors for our savior. Are we tender hearted? Do we bash on the leaders?

Many of us just want to live comfortably and not in the pain and heartache. Our desire for comfort is oftentimes greater than our desire for abiding in the Lord and his sufferings.

2 Corinthians 5:1-20

Philippians 3:20

1 Peter 2:11

There is a lot in a name, identity. It can give us a purpose, and meaning in life. We see that in the Bible in Cephas (peter), Abraham (Abram). In pop culture we see it in Lord of the Rings characters Aragorn, and in the Gladiator movie for Maximus. 

Everyone is in search for meaning and purpose. Identity is the struggle our culture is facing these days. What everyone is looking for is the ultimate purpose and meaning, which is found in Christ. 

1 John 3:9-10

But wait, what if I do sin? Does that make me a child of God or am I not?

Romans 7:14-25

Romans 6:15-23

We are not just sinners, liars, or cheats. We are saints. We are holy through what Christ did

The more that we can stand on the identity that we have as a child of God, the less the hauntings of the past and old habits drive us. 

Galatians 4:1-7

1 John 5:1-4

1 John 5:20

It doesn’t take much to become a child of God. Through Faith in Christ we are ushered in through adoption into the royal family, to become children of the Most High. Have you trusted in Him?

Why is knowing our identity so important?

How does actually knowing our identity affect our life on this planet?

I’m a lot of things, isn’t Christian just another label?

The Contrast, before and after:

Romans 3:10-20-> Romans 8:14-17

Are we really children of the Most High?

1 John 3:1-2

Romans 8:15-16

John 1:12-13

Galatians 3:26