Read Chapter 3 from Fearless and we'll discuss the questions below. Once you have completed the discussion questions, read the lyrics to the song "Healing Rain" by Michael W. Smith. These lyrics are located in the tab above titled, "Healing Rain."
Memory Verse: “He who believes in Him is not condemned.” John 3:18
Come, Lord Jesus, and minister to us. Open our eyes. Open our hearts. Grant us signs of great freedom and healing even this week as we discover where our fears may be coming from. We know, Lord, that no flesh and blood can bring us what we need. If we come out of this journey less fearful, all glory and honor will go to You alone. We love You, Lord. Do Your thing! Amen
You may think you have no access to God – that you have disappointed God beyond repair. But it’s not true! If you fear you have blown it, take heart in these words: “Yes, you failed. We’ve all failed. But you aren’t a failure. God came for people like us.” This week you will have a chance to hand your embarrassments, failures, and regrets to God so you can start again with a clean slate, trusting Him to love you despite your past.
Noble Doss was happily married for six decades. He was a father and grandfather. He served in the navy during World War II and appeared on the cover of Life magazine with his University of Texas football team. But the memory of one dropped pass faded too slowly, a daily disappointment that he could never shake. Fifty years later, his shame still brought him to tears.
Question #1 - Do you live with a regret that you remember often?
Question #2 - What have you done to overcome a pattern of dwelling on past failures?
Many of us fear we have “outsinned” God’s patience. “God’s well of grace must have a bottom to it,” we reason. “A person can request forgiveness only so many times,” our common sense tells us. “Cash in too many mercy checks, and sooner or later one is going to bounce.” The devil loves this line of logic. He wants us to doubt that God really has unconditional love for us, a love that will survive any offense, no matter how often we make it.
Question #3 - You may know in your head that God says He’ll always forgive, but does your heart believe it? How does your spirit respond to this? What do you believe is the devil’s role in our “fear of disappointing God?”
To sin is to disregard God, ignore his teachings, deny His blessings. Sin is “God-less” living, centering life on the center letter of the word sIn. The sinner’s life is me-focused, not God-focused. And because the sinner’s life is focused inward, fear is rampant. A sinful life is absent the bedrock of God’s grace, something we will only know when we look toward God.
Question #4 - What is your definition of sin? Is it possible that we can only find real bravery when the problem of sin is solved?
When you feel unforgiven, evict the feelings. Emotions don’t get a vote. To welcome them to dinner and invite them to stay the night is to kick God out to the curb. To welcome fear with open arms is to reject Christ’s promise of security, love, and life. So, when feelings of doubt and dread creep in, send them packing.
Question #5 - How can you send doubt packing?
Read the lyrics from "Healing Rain."
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ReplyDelete1) I can honestly say "no" to this!
ReplyDelete2) As a result of journeying through Celebrate Recovery, the regrets that I had been holding onto have been turned over to God - for good! I have embraced the truth that if my present and future belong to God, then so does my past. And with that goes any dwelling on things that I cannot change. Prayer has been key to my living in the present and living one day at a time. I love Joel 2:25 - "I will repay you for the years that the swarming locusts have eaten." God promises restoration!!
3)The devil has a huge role in this. If I fear disappointing God all the time, I will be paralyzed in life, fearful of doing anything. I will be ineffective in fulfilling my purpose in life if I feel that God's love is tied to my success or failures.
4)I view sin as anything in my life that hinders my walk with God. If anything I am doing is not bringing glory to God, then it is potentially a stumbling block in my journey and separates me from God.
5)One way I send doubt packing is to turn to Scripture. The Bible is full of affirmations of God's love and how much God cares for us.
1. I think my regrets are similar to most people. "I wish I would have....rocked my babies longer". " I wish I would have told my parents I love them more". "I wish I be more patient". I wish, I wish, I wish. Now, I don't really have one particular instance that constantly haunt me. Due to these past concerns, I am a better and more aware person.
ReplyDelete2. Living in the moment. Not looking back. Being with people who love me unconditionally.
3.My upbringing (Catholic) really has the devil playing a huge part in my concern of not disappointing God. It is difficult to believe that God will constantly forgive us. WOW! It almost seems like after a while He WOULD get fed up with us. Amazing, I know I have trouble forgiving the same people over and over and over again!!
4.I really like Pastor Karen's response. True, true.
5.I make a list of all the blessings I have been given. It doesn't take long until God's love is VERY evident.
Question #1 - I regret that my relationship with my mother is so difficult.
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2 - Time is a great gift from God. It has allowed me to look back on what I had categorized as failure and see the good that has come from some of those. Now I can laugh at some of my failures and wonder what my life would be today if I had succeeded.
Question #3 - You may know in your head that God says He’ll always forgive, but does your heart believe it? How does your spirit respond to this? What do you believe is the devil’s role in our “fear of disappointing God
My head knows God will forgive-that’s what I have been taught through Scripture but I have never experienced anything unconditional. In this human world there always seems to be one condition or another or it is given and then taken away. My heart wants to accept this and be one in the spirit but there is that hesitation --that’s where the devil comes into play. He is always there lurking waiting for those moments to instill doubt and keep us separated from God. He is known by many names and among them should be Fearmonger.
Question #4 Sin is all those actions where your behavior, actions, words, are harmful to another or do not glorify God. It is not just a set of laws that you break but it is in denying the existence of God, not accepting Him for the loving creator that He is. Bravery comes when you know and accept that you are not alone. The problem of sin will not be solved but can be overcome.
Question #5 - I have learned that doubt, self-doubt has its root in the devil. This can lead to depression and self-destruction. I turn to Ephesians and am reassured that I have redemption through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of sins by God’s grace so I put on the full armor of God to be able to stand against the devil’s schemes.