God is in a constant state of perpetual enthusiasm!

Here are some of my scatterbrained notes/one-liners from my two weeks of classes with Jerry Benjamin who taught on Daniel and Revelation.

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The unsurrendered Christian life is the unsatisfied Christian life. This is one thing that's a constant struggle for me. Why do I feel an emptiness, lack of satisfaction or a need? It's because I'm not surrendering everything I am and everything I have to God.

Scripture is given to reveal Jesus Christ, nothing else.
All things must be fulfilled - revealing Jesus Christ.
Purpose of prophecy: To reveal Jesus Christ, not for events.

"To die is gain" - because the safest place to be is in the presence of God.
Being in the will of God on earth is the safest place to be. (You're safer dodging bullets in Afghanistan than doing hoolahoops on the beach if God's will for you is to be in Afghanistan.)

The problem is we don't believe Jesus Christ is all we need. Only when He's all we have do we belive He's all we need.

Obedience brings blessing. Israel had faith passover would work. God not obligated to physically bless us... perhaps only spiritually.

If we're disobedient... He will discipline us (NIV: "curse") to correct us and bring us to a right place.

Christ doesn't give wisdom, He is wisdom. All of our true wisdom comes from him.
What becomes a characteristic of Jesus Christ becomes a characteristic of me when I die to self.

Obey God regardless of the circumstance or culture. No compromising: "Well if I do this the king will like me more and give me a position of power and then I could start prayer meetings and Bible studies." Always do what pleases the Father.

God gives man choice but it doesn't thwart His purpose = sovereignty of God.

Job cried out to God when in his trials... he asked question after question. When God spoke, He didn't answer any questions... He only asked more questions right back at him. And Job received revelations and repented.

Prayer is not only an act, it's an attitude. To have complete dependence on Him. Pray without ceasing = Always depend on Him, in all circumstances. Everything must be done in Him or it has no eternal value.

Sheep are the most dependent animal in the world. They NEED the shepherd to direct them to food and water and to the right gate or they will be lost or hungry. We need to recognize our helplessness and have confidence in whom we are joined to... CHRIST!

Every need is met in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ + nothing = everything.
Nothing on earth will ever completely satisfy... there will always be emptiness without Christ.

God is looking for broken vessels, willing to point others to Him for no other reason but for those to know him, and not for self-pride, gain.

The purpose of revelation is for transformation, not for information.

As long as God is glorified, it doesn't matter whether we live or die. Shadrach, Mesach and Abendego realize this... they are willing to go into the fiery furnace because they followed Christ's ways and the situation they were put in was a result of their faithfulness. They had the knowledge of God that He can do it, (save them from dying in the fire) they just don't know if He will. The only issue was: How can God be more glorified? They had faith that God's plan was the best plan.

The battle is the Lord's. We must submit and surrender to God first.
When God takes us through painful trials (fiery furnaces), God is only purifying us of our sins - transforming us more to His image.

We are changed by Christ as much as we are willing to allow Him to change us. No personality trait hinders His ability to change us. We are our own worst enemy.

True worship: The complete surrendering, submission to God with all mind and heart.

We have commited our lives to Jesus Christ, but have we submitted to Him?
In a commitment - the person commiting still has authority to make the final decision.
In submission the person we are submitting to has all authority - God makes the final decision.

He came to transform us.

Does God have exclusive rights to EVERY aspect of my life?
Pride: The spirit of independence.
Humility: NO thought of oneself - humility only comes through submission.
Brokeness: No will of my own. The end of ourselves. (We were bought at a price.)

God sees every person as a pearl of great price. He will search for you forever and once He finds you, He will go and sell everything for you.
Why are we of so much value? Well, God made us! That's why we have value. No matter what condition we may be in, our value is in the Creator.

Our greatest liability in the Christian life is the strengths. We no longer put our dependence in God because we think we can do it ourselves.
Stand in battle by surrendering.
The victory is won when Jesus Christ conquers me.

Don't worry about bearing fruit - only God can do that.

Priorities of prayer:
1. Get me to live for the glory of God.
2. Motivated to love for Him.
3. To live under God's authority. (... in submission.)
4. Walk in the light. (Being transparent. Not self-analysing - He does the changing.)
5. Abide in Christ. (To His agenda.)

Think life is unfair?
The greatest unfairness in history was the death of Jesus Christ.

Jesus didn't come to judge man, He came to save us and transform us into true worshippers.
He didn't come to prove Himself. He could have stepped off the cross if He wanted to, but He hung on the cross quietly... He conquered the grave with quiet power.
He created us for relationship with us. He didn't need us.

The heart of the matter is always the matter of the heart.

Join to God for who He is, not for what He can do/give for/to us.

We are never the fulfillment of God's program. Christ always is. We don't go on missions trips because God needs us to be there to fix things - we should go only for the reason because we love Him - to do His will.

Your sins are submerged in the grace of God. God chooses to forget sins - He allows us to wake up every day as white as snow - pure, blameless.

Never give up on persuing a person to come to Christ. God will open doors if He chooses to, and it's your job to faithfully walk through them when they open. It is not our job to open doors. He will initiate.

Do we have eyes only for God?