Advent Season – Anticipation, Part 2
Readings:
Isaiah 40
2 Peter 3:8-14
Mark 1
Notes:
Go get it…
-Get it Real
-Get it real Right
-Get it real right, Right Away
-Get it real right, right away, in Relationship with Jesus
Advent Midweek, 1
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Advent Season – Anticipation, Part 1
Readings:
Isaiah 64
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 13:33-37
Notes:
God is…
-Powerful
-Surprising
-Compassionate
-Just
We are…
-Unclean
-Pathetic
-Powerless
-Rebellious
The Situation is…
-Dire
-Dreadful
-Doomed
The Good News is…
YET, Jesus is…
-Gracious
-Forgiving
-Determined
Thanksgiving – Give Thanks in All Circumstances
Please check back for Readings and Notes…
Transformation, Part 8 – The Practice of Scripture Reflection
Readings:
Psalm 1
2 Timothy 3:16-17
John 15:4-10
Notes:
Romans 12– Transformed by renewing your mind.
Ephesians 5– Washing of water by the Word
Immersion:
-Condemns
-Cleans
-Creates
Pointers:
1. Ask God to meet you in the Scripture.
2. Read the Bible with a humble & repentant spirit.
3. Meditate on a fairly brief passage or narrative.
4. Take one thought or verse with you through the day.
5. Allow this thought to become part of your memory.
“Now with God’s help, I shall become myself.” – Soren Kierkegaard
Transformation, Part 7 – The Practice of Holy Spirit Guidance
Readings:
Acts 8:26-39
Luke 12:8-12
Notes:
Prayer: It’s one thing to speak to God… quite another to listen.
Purpose of Guidance: It’s not just to get us to perform the right actions. His purpose is to help us become the right people.
What we’re talking about:
-Leadings
-Promptings
-Impressions
What causes us to miss them?
-Laziness (see part 2 in this series)
-Recognition (part 3)
-Being Busy (part 4)
-Pride (part 5)
-Avoidance (part 6)
-Spiritual Mindlessness (part 7)
What Spiritual Guidance is not:
-”Insider info”
-A Badge of Spirituality
-A Way to Avoid Risk
-Being Passive
What to do?
-Listen for it
-Submit it to Scripture
-Act upon it
-Remember the Cross
Transformation, Part 6 – Sin Confession
Readings:
1 John 1:1-10
Matthew 7:1-5
Notes:
We should be saddened by sin, but not so surprised by sin
confession is for our healing
confession is a process, not just a single act
Elements of confession
Preparation
Self Examination
Perception
Questions to ask yourself
What did I do
Why did I do it?
What happened as a result?
Godly sorrow leads to life, worldly sorrow produces death
True and Powerful confession focuses on:
The satisfaction of Jesus
The redemption of Jesus
Transformation, Part 5 – The Practice of Servanthood
Readings:
Philippians 2:6-11
Matthew 20:17-28
Notes:
“We are all worms. But I do believe that I’m a glow worm.” – Winston Churchill
Pride:
-Vanity
-Stubbornness
-Exclusion
At the deepest level, pride is the choice to exclude both God and other people from their rightful place in our hearts.
We have all, in our own way, been trying to take God’s place ever since Eden.
When Jesus came in the form of a servant, he was not disguising who God is, He was revealing who God is.
Servanthood is:
The Ministry of:
-The mundane
-The interrupted
-Weakness & limitations
-Holding your tongue
-Bearing others’ burdens
Transformation, Part 4 – The Practice of “Slowing”
Reading:
Matthew 14:13-23
Notes:
A Disciplined person can do the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reasons with the right spirit.
Key: You must relentlessly eliminate hurry from your life.
The Disease:
-Hurry Sickness “Hurry is not of the devil, hurry is the devil.” – Carl Jung
The Symptoms:
-Constantly speeding up daily activities
-Multi-tasking
-Clutter
-Superficiality
-Inability to Love
“People nowadays take time more seriously than eternity.” – Thomas Kelly
The great danger is not that we will renounce our faith, but that we will settle for a mediocre version of it…
The Cure:
-Slowing
-Solitude
-Stillness
-Surveying
-Surrender
Transformation, Part 3 – The Practice of Celebration
Readings:
Nehemiah 8:1-18
Philippians 4:1-7
Notes:
“Joy is the serious business of heaven.” – C.S. Lewis
Problem Observed:
We live our lives in transit, going from one place to another, waiting in lines, etc…
Result:
Postponed Joy
Key:
Arranging life for joyful celebration so that sin loses its attraction.
Practical Steps:
Begin now. Don’t put it off.
Find a joy mentor– someone to help you celebrate.
Set aside time for connecting with God and with others (aside from church). Celebrate at least once/week.
Unplug. Recharge.
Develop biblical perspective.