The Friendly Fire Room Presents

Handout Name
Series: The Blessing of the Lord
Lesson: The Favor of the Lord Part Three
September 2, 2022
Dr. Mary Craig
Mary Craig Ministries, Inc.
QUESTIONS:
1. Believers in Jesus Christ, those born again, enter into the rest of God. Identify three aspects of this rest according to Matthew 11:28-30 and Hebrews 4:10, 11.


2. Acts 2:42-47 provides an account of the infant church. What does this passage tell you about the lives of the early believers described here? In your answer, give definition to “possessions” and “goods.”

What do we learn from Acts 11:28-30 and Acts 12:25? Also refer to 2 Corinthians 8: 9-15. “Grace giving is giving gladly, generously, graciously, as one purposes in one’s heart, as God guides.” (Dr. Mary Craig)


3. According to Proverbs 19:12 and Proverbs 16:15, what do believers experience when they have God’s favor? The face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
Look up Psalm 34:16; Psalm 109:13; Proverbs 10:7, 1 Peter 3:10-12. What are we exhorted to do?


4. Look up 1 Corinthians 1:4-9. How do we obtain mercy and find favor from God? The main point here is ______________________.


5. The Word of God informs our experiences. Discuss Psalm 119:58.


6. Look up Proverbs 8:32-36. Who is the “me” in this passage? What is the three-step process of obtaining favor in this passage?


7. Look up Proverbs 13:13-15. What is a third way to receive favor from the Lord?
How did people react and respond to Jesus? What is the importance of knowledge according to Isaiah 5:13?
Is knowledge in and of itself enough? Consider what happened on the road to Emmaus. What was needed beyond knowledge to “see and perceive”?


8. Look up Philippians 3:13-15. What does Paul say of himself regarding the importance of pressing in and pressing forward?
Towards what?
Look up Luke 2:52. Comment on the connection between the favor of the Lord and advancing in wisdom.


9. Many believers are “out of Egypt” but wander in the wilderness not recognizing their spiritual inheritance in Christ. These doubt God’s Word and are thus restless. God had a Sabbath rest when His creation work was complete, good. (Hebrews 4:4). Israel was to have a rest in Canaan, but what prevented it (Deut. 12:9; Hebrews 3:11). Believers rest in Christ through salvation (Hebrews 4:3; Matthew 11:28). Jesus describes the rest of submission in Matthew 11:28-30. Look at Hebrews 4:11-13. What is emphasized?
There remains a rest for the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9). What rest is this future rest?
(See also Revelation 14:13.) What might be some dangers when believers do not heed the warnings in the Word of God, when they do not listen and allow the Holy Spirit to bring correction?
Look up Hebrews 3:12. What was Israel’s sin?
What was the consequence for wanting to go one’s own way when God did not permit “returning to Egypt”?

10. Jesus is the Great High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for His own. Warren Wiersbe notes:
(1) God finished His work and rested, so that His rest has been available since Creation.
(2) The Jews failed to enter into their rest.
(3) Many years later (Psalm 95), God said that a rest was still available. “ (Wiersbe, Warren. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1989.)
What does God see? (Hebrews 4:13; cf. Jeremiah 17:9)
What does the Word of God cause us to do when we see what God sees? Look up Joshua 5:13-15. Who is really in command?
What did Joshua do?
The warning against an evil heart of unbelief is given from a gracious and loving Father. What is the progression that leads to death mentioned in Dr. Craig’s lesson?


11. Look up Hebrews 4:14-16. The believer can come boldly to what Throne?
What reason is given in Hebrews 4: 15? What does this mean when we want to give up believing in Christ and confessing faith in Him because circumstances seem overwhelming? What does this mean when we sin “royally” and lose our confidence because we have brought reproach to Christ’s name?
The true believer cannot “go back.” Why is there no need to “go back”?
So what would one do?

https://marycraig.org/NewsViews/EnteringTheRest.htm for more.

© 2022 Mary Craig Ministries, Inc. www.marycraig.org www.mcmtffr.org

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