Romans 8:31-39, INITIATIVE vs. unresponsiveness (2)

b)    Here is an important question: how is initiative different than making haste in Prov. 19:2?  We ought not act without thinking things through, but to lose the initiative during the planning leads to sin.

i)      In Psalm 27:14 how does initiative fit in with waiting on the Lord?  As we wait on the LORD we need courage because we continue to take initiative in living the life that leads to perfection and to wisdom and so forth.

ii)   Initiative is essential to overcoming.  From these verses what keeps initiative from becoming self-effort?

(1)                        1 John 4:4: The little children have overcome (this suggests initiative).  Their overcoming is through the greatness of the Spirit within them (it is not the result of the fleshly effort).

(2)                        1 John 5:4-5: Those born of God overcome the world (initiative); the victory is by faith (not the flesh).

(3)                        Rom. 8:37: In all things we are more than conquerors, but only through Him that loved us.

c)    How can the following sins produce unresponsiveness in the Christian?

i)      Callousness: We don’t notice other’s needs if we lack mercy (Rom. 12:13,15,16).

ii)   Procrastination: Initiative is destroyed by the tendency to put off till tomorrow what is on my heart today.

iii)            Laziness: Likewise, this destroys initiative.  “There’s a lion in the street” (Prov. 26:13-16).

iv) Fear: There are risks, humanly speaking, in following Christ.  But fear will destroy initiative (Prov.29:25).

d)    How do the following Bible stories illustrate initiative?

i)      Zacchaeus (Lk. 19:1-10).  The tax collector wanted to see Jesus and took the initiative to climb the tree.  This opened the door for Christ to come to his house.  The rest is salvation.

ii)   Paul’s Missionary Journeys (Acts 13-20).  Paul and his companions went according to God’s leading (Ac. 13:1-4).  But as we noted in the previous post, Paul had a plan (Rom. 15:20-21) that was open to the Holy Spirit for “tweaking” (Ac. 16:6-10). 

iii)            The Cross of Jesus Christ.  Our Lord took the initiative, in obedience to the Father.  It was always the Father’s will for Him to give His life for the sins of the world (Isa. 49:5).  He never lost sight of this.  Several times we see that Jesus’ time to die had not come (e.g. Jn. 2:4; 7:6,30; 8:20).  But He never lost the goal (Lk. 9:51). 

There are several possibilities but I like Rom. 12:21 for memorization.