R - Rely on God 6 sessions What are you relying on? - Christ ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

25STUDY 5to make a list of people/offenses. (It’s ineffective to try to applyforgiveness to ‘that monster who was bad toward you.’ You need toknow specifics of who/what it is you need to forgive.)2. Open yourself up to feel the full range of emotions related to whatwas lost for the purpose of healing. (Grief is heavy. It can feellike a mixture of anger, sadness, fear, despair and anxiety all at thesame time. Because we tend to avoid these feelings, you might betempted to deny them. Ask God, alone in the safety of His presence,to help you feel the pain that the wound caused in you as you seek tobe healed by His tender touch.)3. Pray to begin to see the offender or offending circumstances fromGod’s perspective, to give you ‘new eyes’ (Smedes) apart from thehurt for them, gain understanding and/or empathy for them. Thistakes time, and usually comes gradually, but it can begin right nowand is important. One of the ways you can know when you haveworked all the way through to forgiveness is that you wish them well.4. Choose to forgive specific people and offenses, releasing each onefrom your perceived right to get back. For each name listed, youmight pray out loud, “<strong>Rely</strong>ing on You, God, I forgive _____________for _____________________ (list each hurt and pain and the feelingsthat surfaced in you because of it). I release _________________to You and my right to seek revenge. I choose not to hold on to mybitterness and anger, and I ask You to heal my wounded emotions.In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.” (adapted from N. Anderson, Steps toFreedom in Christ).5. If you made a list, burn it when you’ve worked through eachthing, symbolic of the offenses being gone now. You might evenceremonially nail the list into a tree in your yard to serve as apermanent reminder of your choice to proceed through forgiveness.Then remove the list and burn it before the Lord, who forgave youfrom the cross.NEXT STEPS:Read Forgive and Forget: Healing the Wounds We Don’t Deserve, LewisSmedes, 1984, Harper Collins or The Art of Forgiving, Lewis Smedes,Ballantine Books, 1996Pray and seek godly counsel if you know you are stuck somewhere in theforgiveness process.RELIES ON GOD
STUDY 626We minister out of who weare. As we embrace ournew identity, engage invarious spiritual disciplinesto enhance growth, exposeour wounds to the divinehealer, surrender to His graceto find forgiveness and graceto forgive, we experiencenew levels of divine life. Aswe rely on God for every stepalong the journey towardwholeness, and He producesa life that bears much fruit.RELYING ON GOD FOR WHOLENESS: MOVING TOWARD WHOLENESSIN CHRISTOne of the marks of the presence of God within an individual and achurch is a hunger for wholeness, that he or she might more effectivelycarry out the mission of Christ (see Ephesians 4:11-16, James 1:2-4). Someof the things that limit our potential for wholeness are wounds from thepast, inability to accept God’s forgiveness, inability to forgive ourselvesor to forgive those who have wounded us, inability to trust God or anunwillingness to live in community. Wholeness is the opposite of being“divided.” To be whole is to be perfect in every part or that which has allits parts.Robert Mulholland writes, “Christian Spirituality is adynamic ever-developing growth toward wholenessin the image of Christ. It is a journey of increasinglyfaithful responses to the One whose purpose shapesour path, whose grace redeems our detours, whosepower liberates us from crippling bondages of the priorjourney and whose transforming presence meets us ateach turn of the road. Holistic spirituality is a pilgrimageof deepening responsiveness to God’s control of our lifeand being.”In this lesson we will observe how Peter experienced ever greater levelsof wholeness as he responded to the work of God in his life. WhenJesus first intersected Peter’s life, Peter was known for being brash andimpetuous, yet Jesus saw something in him and called him into Hisinner circle. Peter had all the makings of a bully, but, because of howhe responded to the shaping work of God, at the close of his life he wasknown for his humility, his deep love for God and his trust in God (seeI Peter). Because of his response to Jesus work in his life, Peter foundfreedom to follow God wholeheartedly.Note some of the powerful defining moments in Peter’s life.RELIES ON GODMatthew 14 / Walks on WaterJesus’s disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee in a boat when a violentstorm came up. As they were struggling to survive, Jesus came walkingon the water toward them. Naturally they were terrified, so Jesus shoutedto them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Peter responded with,“Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” Jesus said,and Peter actually stepped out of the boat and walked on water until fearovertook him. When he shouted out “Lord, save me!” Jesus reached outand caught him.
Page 7 and 8: STUDY 26The bark, leaves and fruitg
Page 9 and 10: STUDY 28Proclamation. We need to st
Page 11 and 12: STUDY 210• Ask God to deepen your
Page 13 and 14: STUDY 312for spiritual life and gro
Page 15 and 16: STUDY 3146. As you look at the Tria
Page 17 and 18: STUDY 316RELIES ON GODCLASSIC SPIRI
Page 19 and 20: STUDY 418WHY THE MINISTRY OF HEALIN
Page 21 and 22: STUDY 420connected with losses to d
Page 23 and 24: STUDY 522God is the ultimate forgiv
Page 25: STUDY 524What compelling reasons to
Page 29 and 30: STUDY 6282. In view of the type of
Page 31 and 32: STUDY 630Examples of potential next
Page 33 and 34: LEADER’S NOTES32Question 5:- Beli
Page 35 and 36: LEADER’S NOTES34Slavery: “Every
Page 37 and 38: LEADER’S NOTES36• Matt 17:1-9 -
Page 39: LEADER’S NOTES38LESSON 6: LEADER

R - Rely on God 6 sessions What are you relying on? - Christ ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?