Rededication

Since many people rededicated their life at the evangelistic meeting last weekend, next Sunday there will be a "one-shot" study in the pastor's office during the English Sunday School time. It is for people who checked off rededication of their life at the meeting, but all who checked that off do not have to come, and if you did not check that off you are still welcome to come. We are going to study a few passages of the Bible and then share what rededication means among us.

In Rev 2:4-5 the Ephesian believers had "forsaken their first love." They were urged to come back to where they were at first. In my life, there have been times where my love towards God has seemed to gradually grown colder. That is a time to wake up and return.

1. What can cause Christians' love towards God to grow cold?

In the Old Testament, the Mosaic Covenant was renewed at Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal. Please read Deut 27:1-13, Deut 28:1 and Joshua 8:30-35.

2. Both from these verses and your experience, what is involved in renewing a covenant we make with God?

3. Some covenants are kept, and some are broken by man. What can help you keep your covenant and keep your love from growing cold?

4. All Christians today are either set up for victory, set up for defeat and failure, or else at least not set up for the triumph they could be having. What are ways that Christians can be set up for victory or defeat today?

5. When weeds are pulled, they grow right back if the roots are not pulled too. If these problems are corrected, they will grow right back if the root causes are not solved. Four root causes to consider on your list are lack of contentment and joy, lack of godly ambition, lack of love, and lack of discipline.

6. If you are serious about accomplishing great things pray to God and make a plan-of-action list of how you and He together are going to break down these barriers.

7. Do you think you will succeed? We often need help from fellow Christians. Pick a serious believer for you to be accountable to. Tell him or her your list. Have him or her weekly ask how your walk with God is. Accountability to each other is the difference between victory and defeat here. (See James 5:16)

8. When you are in heaven and look back on your life right now, what will you be able to say about your life?

If you have time, look at these examples of making and renewing covenants

Gen 9:9,11,12 God with Noah and all life on earth

sacrifice of clean animals & birds, rainbow

Gen 15:18 God with Abraham and descendants

sacrifice of heifer, goat ram, dove, pigeon

Gen 17:2,4,7 confirmed covenant between God and Abraham:

no sacrifice, sign is circumcision

Exodus 19:5,24:7-8 God with the Israel at Mt. Sinai: consecrate

selves, wash clothes, sacrifice bulls

Num 25:12-13 God with Phinehas, descendants: no sacrifice

Joshua 8:30-34 Covenant renewed at Mt. Gerizim and Ebal

burnt & fellowship offerings

Joshua 24:25 at Shechem, to serve the Lord. no sacrifice

Jer 31:31-34 God's future covenant with Israel and Judah

Gilgal was a special place in the history of Israel. At Gilgal:

the first passover was first celebrated in the promised land (Josh 5:10-11)

the manna stopped (Joshua 5:12)

God appeared to Joshua

The Israelites were circumcised after 40 years (Josh 5:4-7)

An Idolatrous place to the Baal of Covenants in Judges

Saul and Samuel (1 Sam 7:16)

David was received by Judah

Elijah was translated to heaven

An Idolatrous place in the time of Kings

3. To the world, Joshua's delay in conquest to detour to Gilgal looks foolish. Just like time is important to us, time was important to Joshua, so that the Canaanites could be conquered before they all combined together. However, Joshua knew that without God's sustained power there was no point in going on. When are times in our lives where it is wise to do something that looks foolish to the world?

Is building an altar to God important. Abraham built six, Isaac one, and Jacob four.

Josh 4 Crossing the Jordan at Gilgal

Josh 8:30-31 Altar on Mount Ebal as commanded in Deuteronomy

3. Unless the rapture comes first, someday you too will go the way of all the earth. When that time comes, if someone in heaven asks you, what would you like to be able to say about your life? You can borrow ideas from what Joshua said.

For more info please contact Christian Debater™ P.O. Box 144441 Austin, TX 78714 www.BibleQuery.org