God has designed us to produce fruit. To live and love like Jesus we need to spend the proper time abiding, pruning, and growing. The natural outcome is bearing fruit in our lives. This is clearly stated in I John 2:6 “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” A healthy rhythm of rest and ministry should always be the pattern of a disciple of Jesus.
Scripture:
• Spend some time slowly reading and meditating in John 15:1-17 and 1 John 2:6.
Reflection
• What areas of formation: Restore, Love, or Serve do you need to pay more attention to?
Practice:
• Begin to calendar your journey with God. Schedule in time for Restore, Love, and Serve. Make sure you are living a balanced life and that you are paying attention to what season of your life you are currently in and where you need to move to next.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Week 6 - Restore: Discipline/Formation - Day 29 - Thursday
Lay your entire soul open before God. You can be sure the Lord will not fail to enlighten you concerning your sin. Your Lord will shine as a light in you: and through His shining, He will allow you see the nature of all your faults.
Jeanne Guyon
To safely examine our lives with God we need to trust Him. Trust that he will offer grace and love in the midst of our darkest times. Philip Yancey describes grace like this, “Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more…And Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.” Know that God has deep care and hope for you, not because of you but because that is exactly who God is. Part of His Grace isn’t just his love and forgiveness but it’s God’s action in helping us in the midst of our transformation.
Scripture:
• Read Psalm 51.
Reflection:
• What do you need to believe deeply about God so that you can examine yourself and your motives without guilt or shame?
Practice:
• You can meditate in Psalm 51. What word or phrase stands out to you? Why? What does this word or phrase tell you about your desire to be restored by God and His desire to restore you?
Jeanne Guyon
To safely examine our lives with God we need to trust Him. Trust that he will offer grace and love in the midst of our darkest times. Philip Yancey describes grace like this, “Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more…And Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.” Know that God has deep care and hope for you, not because of you but because that is exactly who God is. Part of His Grace isn’t just his love and forgiveness but it’s God’s action in helping us in the midst of our transformation.
Scripture:
• Read Psalm 51.
Reflection:
• What do you need to believe deeply about God so that you can examine yourself and your motives without guilt or shame?
Practice:
• You can meditate in Psalm 51. What word or phrase stands out to you? Why? What does this word or phrase tell you about your desire to be restored by God and His desire to restore you?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Week 6 - Restore: Discipline/Formation - Day 28 - Wednesday
Although we cannot always preserve our recollection, yet we must do so from time to time, and at least once a day either in the morning or in the evening. In the morning form your intention, and at night examine your conduct, what you have done, said, and thought during the day, for in each of these you may have often offended both God and your neighbor.
Thomas a Kempis
We can carry on through our whole day and never once notice how we did not reveal the love of God. We should not only notice but also intentionally try and change. Otherwise we are “like a man who looks at himself in the mirror, and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” We should be like “the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
Scripture:
• Read and consider memorizing James 1:23-25.
Reflection
• Do you have trouble following through on plans?
Practice:
• Consider focusing on one thing you believe God would like to see transformed in your character and follow these steps:
1. Label your sin or character issue.
2. Reflect and discuss with God, your feelings and struggles with the issue.
3. Ask God for a vision of the type of person you will be if He transformed you in this area. How would work, family, relationships, and ministry be different?
4. Express your desire to live out God’s vision for your life.
5. Develop some concrete practices, things you can do, to enable you to partner with God in growing into the vision.
Thomas a Kempis
We can carry on through our whole day and never once notice how we did not reveal the love of God. We should not only notice but also intentionally try and change. Otherwise we are “like a man who looks at himself in the mirror, and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” We should be like “the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
Scripture:
• Read and consider memorizing James 1:23-25.
Reflection
• Do you have trouble following through on plans?
Practice:
• Consider focusing on one thing you believe God would like to see transformed in your character and follow these steps:
1. Label your sin or character issue.
2. Reflect and discuss with God, your feelings and struggles with the issue.
3. Ask God for a vision of the type of person you will be if He transformed you in this area. How would work, family, relationships, and ministry be different?
4. Express your desire to live out God’s vision for your life.
5. Develop some concrete practices, things you can do, to enable you to partner with God in growing into the vision.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Week 6 - Restore: Discipline/Formation - Day 27 - Tuesday
We are so afraid of silence that we chase ourselves from one event to the next in order not to have to spend a moment alone with ourselves, in order not to have to look at ourselves in the mirror.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24
Listening may be our greatest tool in learning to live and love like Jesus. However, it is a discipline that must be practiced often. We regularly go through a whole day and never notice that the God of the universe is actively pursuing us. The prayer of examen provides a way of noticing where God shows up in our day. The questions of examen open our attention to how God’s internal movement is present in our daily lives.
Scripture
• Read and meditate on Philippians 1:9-10.
Reflection:
• How do you tend to recognize God’s presence in your day? How do you respond to God’s presence?
Practice:
• Consider practicing this every night for one week. Find some time at the end of the day when you no longer have any pressing responsibilities. Ask these questions (You may want to journal your responses):
- Start with thanksgiving, noticing the moments that you were most grateful and least grateful for.
- Ask when did you give and receive the most love today? When and where did I give and receive the least love today?
- What was the most life-giving and life-draining part of my day?
- When today did I have the deepest sense of connection with God? When today did I have the least sense of connection?
- Where was I aware of living out of the fruit of the Spirit? Where was there an absence of the fruit of the Spirit?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24
Listening may be our greatest tool in learning to live and love like Jesus. However, it is a discipline that must be practiced often. We regularly go through a whole day and never notice that the God of the universe is actively pursuing us. The prayer of examen provides a way of noticing where God shows up in our day. The questions of examen open our attention to how God’s internal movement is present in our daily lives.
Scripture
• Read and meditate on Philippians 1:9-10.
Reflection:
• How do you tend to recognize God’s presence in your day? How do you respond to God’s presence?
Practice:
• Consider practicing this every night for one week. Find some time at the end of the day when you no longer have any pressing responsibilities. Ask these questions (You may want to journal your responses):
- Start with thanksgiving, noticing the moments that you were most grateful and least grateful for.
- Ask when did you give and receive the most love today? When and where did I give and receive the least love today?
- What was the most life-giving and life-draining part of my day?
- When today did I have the deepest sense of connection with God? When today did I have the least sense of connection?
- Where was I aware of living out of the fruit of the Spirit? Where was there an absence of the fruit of the Spirit?
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Week 6 - Restore: Discipline/Formation - Day 26 - Monday
We often think of discipline as, “getting in trouble” or “suffering consequences”. Of course, there are always consequences for actions, but it is helpful to think of God’s actions as more formative. He desires transformation, and if we desire that same transformation we can submit ourselves to His hands and trust that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).
Submission involves surrendering our will to God. In doing so, we consent to His supremacy - maybe with hesitation at first. We should first recognize his supremacy intellectually, and then we grant God full reign in practice. Parts of us may still resist and we may not always like it. But it is through submission and abandonment to God that one opens up him/herself to real transformation.
God works for the good of all those who love Him.
Romans 8:28
Scripture:
• Read and Meditate in John 7:17 and John 21:18.
Reflection:
• What are some contradictory things you desire? For instance you want to show love to you family but also want to avoid more activity and being further drained.
Practice:
• Spend some time with God and journal. Try to identify an aspects of God’s will that you are not yet able to do but you are willing to try.
Submission involves surrendering our will to God. In doing so, we consent to His supremacy - maybe with hesitation at first. We should first recognize his supremacy intellectually, and then we grant God full reign in practice. Parts of us may still resist and we may not always like it. But it is through submission and abandonment to God that one opens up him/herself to real transformation.
God works for the good of all those who love Him.
Romans 8:28
Scripture:
• Read and Meditate in John 7:17 and John 21:18.
Reflection:
• What are some contradictory things you desire? For instance you want to show love to you family but also want to avoid more activity and being further drained.
Practice:
• Spend some time with God and journal. Try to identify an aspects of God’s will that you are not yet able to do but you are willing to try.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Week 5 - Receiving Love - Day 25 - Friday
Written by Debbie Phares
“And so there is no division in the body, but all it’s different parts have the same concern for one another. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness.” What a beautiful picture of the body of Christ! I used to read the above passage and feel a sense of guilt. The truth is, I don’t always suffer when I hear about other Christians suffering and I am only mildly happy when I hear good things about other believers. I assumed that the above passage was a command and I would try to muster up a sense of joy or pain depending on the kind of news I heard. However, if you look at the text, you’ll see that it is not a command; it is describing the result of living out what the previous verses talk about.
Now that I am in deep, intentional relationship with others in the church, I see this happening in my life. Every week, we eat together, pray together, and laugh together. When someone shares his/her pain over a particular situation every week and it is resolved, I rejoice. It is natural for me to do so. Likewise, when someone whom I have learned to love experiences tragedy, naturally, I feel heartsick and heartbroken to see them go through that pain.
When we share our lives with others and allow our lives to be intertwined, we cannot help but experience what 1 Corinthians describes. However, it takes hard work. It doesn’t just happen. Only intentionally opening myself up to genuine relationship with others and inviting God’s Spirit to be a part of that process can produce this kind of effect. It has taken years of investment and still requires weekly investment to be in true community. However, I can’t imagine my life without it.
Scripture:
• Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-26
Reflection:
• What do you think are the fruits of true community? What kind of hard work does it take to see those kinds of fruits? What holds you back from investing in community? Invite God to help you overcome those obstacles.
Practice:
• Get together with a long-time friend or your life group. Reflect together on some of the ups and downs of your relationship. What were some of the obstacles? Good times? What has it taken to maintain this relationship? Take some time to pray, thanking God for your relationship and invite the Holy Spirit to continue to shape and mold your friendship.
“And so there is no division in the body, but all it’s different parts have the same concern for one another. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness.” What a beautiful picture of the body of Christ! I used to read the above passage and feel a sense of guilt. The truth is, I don’t always suffer when I hear about other Christians suffering and I am only mildly happy when I hear good things about other believers. I assumed that the above passage was a command and I would try to muster up a sense of joy or pain depending on the kind of news I heard. However, if you look at the text, you’ll see that it is not a command; it is describing the result of living out what the previous verses talk about.
Now that I am in deep, intentional relationship with others in the church, I see this happening in my life. Every week, we eat together, pray together, and laugh together. When someone shares his/her pain over a particular situation every week and it is resolved, I rejoice. It is natural for me to do so. Likewise, when someone whom I have learned to love experiences tragedy, naturally, I feel heartsick and heartbroken to see them go through that pain.
When we share our lives with others and allow our lives to be intertwined, we cannot help but experience what 1 Corinthians describes. However, it takes hard work. It doesn’t just happen. Only intentionally opening myself up to genuine relationship with others and inviting God’s Spirit to be a part of that process can produce this kind of effect. It has taken years of investment and still requires weekly investment to be in true community. However, I can’t imagine my life without it.
Scripture:
• Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-26
Reflection:
• What do you think are the fruits of true community? What kind of hard work does it take to see those kinds of fruits? What holds you back from investing in community? Invite God to help you overcome those obstacles.
Practice:
• Get together with a long-time friend or your life group. Reflect together on some of the ups and downs of your relationship. What were some of the obstacles? Good times? What has it taken to maintain this relationship? Take some time to pray, thanking God for your relationship and invite the Holy Spirit to continue to shape and mold your friendship.
week 5 - Receiving Love - Day 24 - Thursday
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ
Ephesians 5:21
Submission is an unpopular concept these days. Submission reflected in Ephesians reflects a mutuality. Sometimes submission means giving and other times it means receiving. Sometimes it means leading and other times it means following. In every case there is always an element of self-giving. Submitting to God is rooted in love and grace. Submission should always lead to freedom not imprisonment. We can often learn to trust God and receive His love through others who we are in relationship with. I have never experienced more growth than when I have given others authority to speak into my life. It keeps one humble and allows for reflection.
Scripture:
• Read how Jesus submitted in Philippians 2:6-8 and John 3:30
Reflection:
• What experiences do you have in submission?
• Who is an example of someone you know that knew how to practice healthy submission? How has his or her life influenced you?
Practice:
• Start prayerfully considering those whom you respect their wisdom and maturity. Grant them authority to speak into your life.
• Ask friends or your Life group to identify an area you need to change in your life. Listen to what they have to say without arguing or justifying
(Michael Bischof, Journey in Community)
Ephesians 5:21
Submission is an unpopular concept these days. Submission reflected in Ephesians reflects a mutuality. Sometimes submission means giving and other times it means receiving. Sometimes it means leading and other times it means following. In every case there is always an element of self-giving. Submitting to God is rooted in love and grace. Submission should always lead to freedom not imprisonment. We can often learn to trust God and receive His love through others who we are in relationship with. I have never experienced more growth than when I have given others authority to speak into my life. It keeps one humble and allows for reflection.
Scripture:
• Read how Jesus submitted in Philippians 2:6-8 and John 3:30
Reflection:
• What experiences do you have in submission?
• Who is an example of someone you know that knew how to practice healthy submission? How has his or her life influenced you?
Practice:
• Start prayerfully considering those whom you respect their wisdom and maturity. Grant them authority to speak into your life.
• Ask friends or your Life group to identify an area you need to change in your life. Listen to what they have to say without arguing or justifying
(Michael Bischof, Journey in Community)
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