The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is going through the book The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel. A Christian Atheist is someone who believes in God but lives as if He doesn't exist. If you are courageous enough to admit that sometimes you act like a Christian Atheist along with us we can shed some of our hypocrisy and live a life that truly brings glory to Christ.
A Christian Atheist might sound like someone who’s got a faith problem or perhaps at least a spiritual confusion issue. But the core problem for the Christian Atheist Isn't belief; it’s intimacy. The Christian Atheist doesn’t really know God very well.
These are the notes to Session 6
Many Christian Atheists live year after year under the illusion that we simply can't change. Once we’ve
forgiven ourselves for past mistakes, some surrender to present problems, never even hoping to
overcome them. We may openly, even proudly, believe in God, but we honestly don’t believe he can
change us. Christian Atheists who’ve tried to change and failed, wrongly believe that God simply can’t
change them.
To get your copy of the book click this LINK or the image of the book at the end of my notes for the study
Pray God-Sized Prayers
I remember so well praying for a baby called Craig. I had been asked to visit a woman in the Brompton Hospital. Vivienne had three children and was pregnant with a fourth. Her third child, who was eighteen months old. He had a hole in his heart that had been operated on. The operation had not been a success and, not unnaturally, the medical staff wanted to turn the machines off. Many times they asked Vivienne if they could turn the machines off and let the baby die. She said no, as she wanted to try one last thing. She wanted someone to pray for him. So I went.
Craig had tubes all over him. His body was bruised and swollen. She said that the doctors had indicated that even if he recovered he would have brain damage because his heart had stopped for such a long time. She told me she didn’t believe in God but she said, ‘Will you pray?’
I prayed in the name of Jesus for God to heal him. Then I explained to her how she could give her life to Jesus Christ and she did. I left, but returned two days later. Vivienne came running out the moment she saw me. She said, ‘I’ve been trying to get hold of you; something amazing has happened. The night after you prayed he completely turned the corner. He has recovered.’ Within a few days, Craig had gone home.
Vivienne went around all her relatives and friends saying, ‘I didn’t believe, but now I do believe.’
That was twenty-nine years ago. I’m still in touch with the family. Craig is fit and well and is the glue in that family. His healing was not autosuggestion; he was a baby at the time. It was not positive thinking. It was not the placebo effect. It was a God-sized answer to a God-sized prayer.
This week our chapters were 7 When You Believe in God but Don’t Think You Can Change, 8 When You Believe in God but Still Worry All the Time,
Identifying the Lie
Many Christian Atheists live year after year under the illusion that we simply can't change. Once we’ve forgiven ourselves for past mistakes, some surrender to present problems, never even hoping to overcome them. We may openly, even proudly, believe in God, but we honestly don’t believe he can change us. Christian Atheists who’ve tried to change and failed, wrongly believe that God simply can’t change them.
There are strongholds in our lives that we can’t seem to break on our own so we don’t think that we will ever change.
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:3 – 4).
The Greek word translated as strongholds is ochroma (pronounced oak-EW-ROH-muh), which means to fortify, lock up, or imprison. This is what our enemy tries to do to us. He lies to us until we’re convinced that we’re stuck and can never escape our Problems.
“They’re imprisoned by false thoughts, all along believing they can never escape, never change. And then there are those who have serious problems but don’t even know it. They too remain locked in a prison they're not even aware exists.”
Whatever the challenge, the first step is often the most difficult, and That’s admitting that there is a problem. Too many Christian Atheists won’t acknowledge their problem in the first place.We can always find plenty of excuses but if we won’t admit our problems, we will never change.
Admitting to the problem
God Can Help You Change
Admitting our problems is only the first step. After that, we must invite God to work, because he is the one who can change any problem.
Mark 10:24-27 NIV The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
With people, change may be difficult, even impossible—but not with God. God is bigger than our problems, no matter what they are. If you’ve believed that you simply can’t change, acknowledge that that is a lie. With God, all things are possible.
Romans 6:14 NIV For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Ask Yourself
When working with people who think they can’t change, I ask six simple questions. If a person answers yes to three or more, chances are they have a problem.
Do your family and friends say you have a problem? Even though you might deny it, others can often see more objectively than you.
Do you continue even though you are hurting people? If you look at what some people claim has control over you, do you keep practicing or giving in to it, even when it affects others negatively? You don’t want to hurt people. But if they continue to suffer because of your actions, chances are good that you have a problem.
Do you arrange your schedule, priorities, or spending around it? If you make major life changes to get your “fix,” odds are, your fix has a stronghold on you.
Can you go one week without it? When I couldn’t go one week without work, it became obvious I had a problem. If you can't walk away from something for a week, you’re in bondage to that thing.
Is it driving others away? Once an addiction reaches advanced stages, it tends to isolate the one who’s addicted. When your actions continually hurt, abuse, or neglect others, they tend to pull back.
Are you denying it is a problem or trying to keep it a secret? If you feel defensive, adamantly insisting that you don’t have a problem, you likely have a problem. If you’re hiding some behavior from others, there’s a reason. You need to address it head-on instead.
Can the Excuses
John 5:1-3, 6-7 NIV Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
This hurting man was offered the opportunity to see God’s power. But he had grown so accustomed to his condition that he was focused on all the reasons he’d never get better.
If you have any excuses talking you out of changing, capture those wrong thoughts and replace them with truth. Paul said,
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Grab any thought contrary to God’s, overtake it, and replace it with truth.
Philippians 4:8 NIV Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Remind yourself that you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength (Phil. 4:13).
Remind yourself that you have the mind of Christ. God is renewing your mind daily.
Romans 12:2 NIV Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 NIV The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
When you feel bad about yourself and start sliding into those all-too-familiar thoughts, remember
that if you follow Christ, the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of you
Romans 8:9-11 NIV You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
You are created in God’s image
Genesis 1:27 NIVSo God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
He knew you before you were born
Psalms 139:13-16 NIV For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
He has already planned great works for you to do
Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Surrender to God’s power
If you believe you can’t change, you’re right—sort of. Your strength is limited. Your willpower isn’t bottomless. Your determination will eventually run dry. That’s why to change for good you need the power of the only one who is good—Christ!
In Colossians 1:29, Paul says,
Colossians 1:28-29 NIV He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
The word translated as “strenuously contend” is the Greek word agonizomai (ag-oh-NID-zohm-ah-hee). It means to struggle or compete for a prize. It literally means to compete with an adversary—and win.
It’s important to notice how we’re supposed to struggle, to fight. The Bible says we agonizomai with “all Christ’s energy.” We change by his power, not by ours.
You can’t change in your own power. If you feel overwhelmed by something bigger than you, let the one who is bigger than all things be the power you need in your weakness.
Worry Is Not Your Friend
For Christian Atheists, our worry proves we don’t trust in God as we claim to.
We think, I know God’s a good God and all that, but I’ve got this situation handled. And when it turns out we don’t have it handled, then it falls to us—not to God—to fix it.
That’s what we think but
Romans 8:28 NIV And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Jesus Will Fix It - Al Green
I know Jesus, He will fix it for you
For He knows just what to do
Whenever you pray, let Him have His way
I know Jesus, He will fix it for you
Jesus, He will fix it for you, yes He will
He knows just what to do
Whenever, whenever you pray, let Him have His way
I know Jesus, He will fix it for you
Let me tell you, let me tell you somethin'
Jesus, He fixed it for me, yes He did
He knows, knows just what, what I need
Do you hear me? Whenever you pray
Let me just tell you let Him have His way
I know that Jesus, He will fix it, He'll fix for you
Oh, yes He will
Hey Jesus, Jesus He will fix it, I know that
Jesus He will fix it, I know that
Jesus He will fix it
Jesus, He will fix it
Jesus, He will fix it
God Can by Dottie Peoples
God can, God can
And God will, God will
He'll fix it (God will fix it for you)
God can, God can
I'll tell you he will (God will)
He'll fix it (God will fix it for you) let me say that one more time
God can, God can
And God will, God will
He'll fix it (God will fix it for you)
God can, God can
I tell you he will (God will)
He'll fix it (God will fix it for you) let me tell you somethin'
Oh, somebody might be in the hospital
And the doctors done all they can do
All you need is faith the size of a mustard seed
I'm a witness, He'll bring you through
Just like God gave Moses power in the rod
I'm here to tell you there's healing in the word of God
And God can, God can
And God will, God will
He'll fix it (God will fix it for you) come on, let's tell 'em 'bout God can
Oh, God can, God can
God can (let's get some witnesses in here right now, y'all)
God can, God can (who can tell you my God can)
God can, God can (come here woman with the issue of blood, she'll tell you God can)
God can, God can (come here blind man on the side of the road, he'll tell you God can)
God can, God can (oh, come here Abraham, God provided you with a lamb)
God can, God can (and y'all know about old oh Job, how he waited on the lord)
God can, God can (Job went against all odds, y'all, to let you know he's an all-time God)
God can, God can (My God can, My God can)
I tell you He'll fix it, God will fix it
He'll fix it, God will fix it
Whatever you're going through, God will fix it
My God will fix it, God will fix it
My God will fix it for you today, God will fix it
Try him and see right now, God will fix it
My my my God will fix it, God will fix it
My my my God will fix it, God will fix it
I tell you He'll fix it (fix it)
He'll fix it (fix it)
He'll fix it (fix it)
He'll fix it (fix it)
He'll fix it (fix it)
He'll fix it (fix it)
He'll fix it (fix it)
He'll fix it (fix it)
God can, God can
I'll tell you he will (God will)
He'll fix it (God will fix it for you) oh, good God almighty
God can, God can
My God sure enough can (God can)
Whatever you need today (God can)
My God can fix it, y'all (God can)
My God can fix it, yes (God can)
God can fix it (God can)
I tell you, God can (God can)
I tell you, God can (God can)
I tell you, God can (God can)
And he will (God can)
He'll fix it (God will fix it for you) yeah, yeah, oh, oh
My God, my God, my God
He'll fix it for you
He'll fix it, He'll fix it
Worry is the opposite of faith; therefore, it’s sin.
Romans 14:23 NIV But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Philippians 4:6 NIV Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
When we live by faith, we believe that God has everything under control. But if we start to worry, how we live says the opposite. If we are worried about losing our jobs, we are essentially saying that our jobs are our providers. But isn’t God our provider? What if God has something else planned for us? And what if, as unpleasant as it may be to think about, the path to that “something else” is through some pain? Will we still trust in God to provide during that time?
Worry, in essence, is the sin of distrusting the promises and the power of God. It's choosing to dwell on, to think about, the worst-case scenario. It’s faith in the bad things rather than faith in God.
Matthew 6:25-34 NIV “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
The Greek word Jesus uses for “life” in verse 25 is psuche (SUE-kay). It actually means every aspect of your life, taken together in total: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. It means your yesterday, today, and future life. Jesus is simply saying don’t worry about anything.
Freedom from Worry
Two steps toward freedom from worry are to do what’s wise and to think on the right things. As Christians, we have a tendency to make things more complicated than they are.
God does give us responsibility, and it takes biblical faith to do those things in dependence on God. That is wisdom.
Proverbs 2:6 NIV For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
James 1:5-8 NIV If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Scripture says over and over again, in as many ways as you can think to say it: do what’s wise and you will be rewarded.
Proverbs 9:10-12 NIV The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
If you do catch yourself worrying even after you’ve done what was wise, remember that God is bigger than our problems. Worry then becomes a signal alerting us that it’s time to pray.
When we tell God what we’re worried about or what we need, we are giving our burden to him. We still have responsibility to do what we can, but doing what we can’t isn’t ours anymore. Anytime we try to take back God's responsibilities onto our shoulders, we remind ourselves, Now that’s his problem. And we can breathe a sigh of relief.
2 Chronicles 20:1-4 NIV After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
2 Chronicles 20:14-17 NIV Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ”
2 Chronicles 20:20-23 NIV Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
It’s part of that supernatural peace he promised (Phil. 4:7).
When we start to worry it’s the alarm calling us to pray. We can start by telling ourselves, This is not God thought. This is a thought based on fear. Then we must capture that runaway thought and make it obedient to Christ.
Think like that scripture that we read earlier, Philippians 4:8 that says, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
As we continue to pray, we can shift our minds from fear-based thinking to faith-based thinking.
No Matter What Happens, Trust God
Who do we believe in more? Ourselves or God? Our actions and decisions will reflect that.
If God does what you think he should do, trust him. If God doesn’t do what you think he should do, trust him. If you pray and believe God for a miracle and he does it, trust him. If your worst nightmare comes true, believe he is sovereign. Believe he is good.
In Matthew 6:33 – 34, Jesus says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” God is outside of time. He has no beginning, and no end. That means he has no yesterday and no tomorrow. He just is. So for God, tomorrow is the same as today, same as yesterday.
Was God in control yesterday? Undoubtedly, yes. Is God in control today? You know he is. Then he’s in control tomorrow too.
Time is not an issue for him. He’s already present in tomorrow. So no matter what happens, trust God.
Listen to his promise: “ ‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ ” (Jer. 29:11).
God is not surprised by bad things. He is not overwhelmed by the bad we do or the bad we feel in life. He knows we are incapable of living perfectly good lives and that we need his goodness. God provides the good we need to experience more of him and more of Hs goodness in our lives. When we acknowledge and accept these two truths together, we are better able to join God in the plans he has for us without trying to take over with our plans instead.
To know God’s plans for us, we need to know God. ] He speaks through scripture, through creation, and to our hearts. One of the enemy’s ways of getting us off track and relying on our understanding of good and evil is to fear that anything we think is a good plan could be wrong. Ask God to give guidance and respond based on your best understanding of who God is, how he operates, and what you believe he’s asking you to do.
We won’t get it all right. Good and bad may happen as we move forward. When our hearts move forward in confidence and humility, we can follow God’s leadership with readiness to change direction.
Even if the future God chooses for you isn’t the one you would choose, trust him.
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