TurningPoint Community Church

• In God’s grace, He often takes us in the opposite direction of our expectations.

• God never promised that learning to trust Him would be comfortable or easy, because He is far more interested in our maturity than in our comfort.

“No one ever learned they were a sinner by being told. They had to be shown.”

— John Newton (paraphrased)

• The way to the promised land is through the desert.

• In God’s grace, we often have to go “there” to get “here.”

• The path through the gates of Jerusalem led Jesus straight to the wilderness of the cross.

"The way to get to the resurrection was through the desert of the cross."

— Tim Keller

"All shall work together for good; everything is needful that He sends; nothing can be needful that He withholds."

— John Newton

• “I, the Lord your God, carried you! All you did was ride the winds of My grace!”

• God did for us, in Christ, what we could never do for ourselves.

• God was the Initator to save sinners, and to rescue and renew all creation through the blood of our mighty Christ!

• We were in sin. God had a rescue plan. His name is Jesus.

See Deuteronomy 13:4, 18

• God treasures us! Now, when we treasure Him, we find great joy and blessing!

See Revelation 5:10

"You will never understand the whole Bible unless you understand, Grace, obedience, Blessing.”

— Alec Motyer

• The person who understands that they’ve been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone obeys for more of God!

• Do we want more from God? Or do we want more of God?

• Love strives to do that which its lover delights! Obligation strives to get by with the least possible.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the greatest thought you have of God?

2. What do you think is the most important motivator to trust God?

3. What should we do when we can’t see God’s hand?

4. How do we learn to trust God when things don’t turn out as we expect?

NEXT STEP:
• I will review Exodus 19 and evaluate my ability to trust God and respond to His revelation of Himself to me.