If the words “Lenten Joy”
seem like an oxymoron,
it’s because Lent needed reforming,
it needed the gospel!
So as we begin this first full Lenten week,
let us contemplate both
the first command of Jesus
along with His first miracle.
For they are tied together.
His first command was:
Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near.
(Matthew 4:17)
And His first miracle was
turning water into wine at a wedding!
Layers upon layers of meaning,
but a HUGE one is the joy that godly repentance brings
because of the lavish love of God —
the kind of festive joy we feel at a wedding,
when a brand new life begins!
Even if you’ve seen this before, watch it again, to catch the joy of this Jewish wedding by clicking here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgZ4ZTTfKO8&start_radio=1&list=RDKgZ4ZTTfKO8
Marriage, Ephesians tells us, points
to a more eternal union,
that of each believer with Christ.
And what makes a good marriage?
Ruth and Billy Graham said:
“a good marriage is made up
of two good repenters.”
Likewise, when Luther nailed his thesis
to the Wittenburg door, he began with:
“All of life is repentance.”
It is sin that clouds any union,
robbing it of joy!
So this week we will learn
why we should embrace repentance eagerly,
and what true gospel repentance is!
On a personal note: Thanks so for your patience and help with the new website. It was my first time to write this study on the new website, and I am just learning how to do it, so I appreciate your continued patience and prayers! We may still have some glitches, but we are addressing them and Control Yours is eager to help us get it right.
Sunday:
- What stands out to you from the above and why?
Monday: Through Pain’s Doorway to a Party!
Soften your heart for the study with this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGDU2H1tZCI
Repentance involves initial pain: admitting you were wrong, humbling yourself, and turning from the idols you thought were your friends. It was painful for the younger son to admit what a fool he had been, and humbly return to his father to tell him so, but after the doorway of pain, there was first: the embrace. And that same embrace is waiting for us!
And then, the party! (As extravagant as a wedding party!)
During Lent, I encourage you to begin with Scripture, and then let that Scripture be a springboard for prayer. You can write your prayers here or privately.
2. Read Luke 15:11-20.
A. Idolatry is turning to our own way of meeting our needs instead of to
God. How did the younger son do that?
B. What pain did his idols bring him?
C. What pain have your idols brought you? (Be specific.)
D. Turning from idols may bring initial pain, for they will fight. What
pain might you need to go through to truly turn from a besetting sin?
3. Use the above as a springboard for you to be honest with God in prayer.
4. Describe how the father received him. (Luke 16:20-24)
5. Use the above as a springboard for praise to God.
Tuesday: Religion Versus The Gospel
Why is the first miracle at a wedding?
And why is the miracle
turning the jars of water
used for ceremonial cleansing
into wine?
To give you a clue, consider what man-based religion brings:
Death, Pride, Anger, & Bondage
And what the Gospel Brings:
Life, Humility, Joy, & Freedom
6. Read Matthew 23:23-26
A. What were the Pharisees good at cleaning?
B. What were they missing?
I can be just like them: more concerned that someone sees me impatient with my grandchild than the fact that I am impatient with my grandchild; more concerned with the outside than the inside. God says, “Dee, come to me in genuine repentance, and I will make your heart clean, and then the outside will be clean as well.”
7. Let the above lead you into prayer.
8. Give it a stab. With the above in mind, why do you think Jesus first miracle was turning the water in the ceremonial jars into wine?
Wednesday: We Can’t Do It.
The Pharisees thought they had saved themselves from the penalty of sin by keeping all their religious rules of tithing, fasting, lengthy prayers… There is irony in the preface to the story of the prodigal sons.
9. Read Luke 15:1-2
A. What two kinds of people does Luke say were gathering around Jesus? What is the irony in Luke’s statement?
B. Where have you been more concerned about ourward appearance than your heart?
C. Let this lead you into asking God for help.
So often repentance becomes a self-reformation project. Benjamin Franklin tried to work on a virtue at a time. Even many of our Bible studies put us on the Pharisee track, giving us a list of things we should check to try to improve in our own strength. Our own Susan has a story I asked her to share:
10. Does anything stand out to you from Susan’s story? Have you ever tried to reform yourself in your own power and ended up hating yourself? If so, share something about it.Thursday: He Can Do It
160 comments
Sunday:
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
The wedding dance at Vanessa’s and Lin Manuel’s wedding. Everyone looked full of joy and into it! What a whisper of the joy that is for us in Heaven but also could experience in the now.
The Graham’s words- “A good marriage is made up of two repenters.”
David Wilkerson’s words- “Repentance is the mother of all joy.” To a small degree, I have experienced this. A case in point: This week, 2 of my students made a poor decision that could have caused serious physical injury to one of their patients. I was out in Seattle and enjoying my time away with my daughter. After a series of –Emails and phone calls, my director advised me to “enjoy your time with your daughter.” I realized then, I need to repent of my idol of control, forgive my students and regain the joy of my salvation. No circumstance should steal my joy and all I need to remember is when sin comes knocking and I succumb to it, I have to confess it, accept God’s forgiveness and His sovereignty. God was gracious; the Seattle trip was physically exhausting but spiritually gratifying and allowed a much needed time with my daughter.
Thank you for your prayers for my trip. My daughter opened up about past hurts and though some conversations were painful, I felt God’s courage and strength for both of us to be honest and vulnerable with one another. Please continue to pray for her-she is still far off from God.
Hi Bing, it’s encouraging to hear about your heart-to-heart conversations that you and your daughter had. I also understand that those kinds can be painful when hurts are shared. I will continue to pray.
This is to Lucy H if she sees it!
You aren’t getting the blog because of your new e-mail address. If you send it to me at comments@deebrestin.com I will put it in. Sorry!
Done! Thanks
6. Read Matthew 23:23-26
A. What were the Pharisees good at cleaning? The outside of the cup and plate. This means they are good at maintaining their image, doing what makes them look Holy but inside is still selfish.
B. What were they missing? Repentance. Perspective- it is not about them. Mercy. Grace. A heart for God – He desires obedience out of love and trust.
7. Let the above lead you into prayer. Father, forgive me for wanting to show a clean appearance. Forgive my self-centeredness! Instead, God, make a clean spirit within me. Renew my love for you daily. May I see the world through your eyes and not my own. May my heart serve you and not my image. Let your love flow through me. Amen, let it be.
8. Give it a stab. With the above in mind, why do you think Jesus first miracle was turning the water in the ceremonial jars into wine? Repentance was turned into rejoicing. He paid our price so he could forgive us, cleanse us, inside and out, once for all time and now we are betrothed…anticipating our wedding feast. Praise be! The water in the jars was to symbolically wash our outsides but the wine became the symbol of washing our insides because of His blood.
I love all that Jill saw!
Repentance was turned into rejoicing. He paid our price so he could forgive us, cleanse us, inside and out, once for all time and now we are betrothed…anticipating our wedding feast. Praise be! The water in the jars was to symbolically wash our outsides but the wine became the symbol of washing our insides because of His blood.
I love that picture of the wine being Christ’s blood that washes my insides.
9. Read Luke 15:1-2
A. What two kinds of people does Luke say were gathering around Jesus? What is the irony in Luke’s statement?
They were tax collectors, sinners were gathering and the Pharisees, and teachers were judging.
I always hate that people think just because you’re a teacher you know everything. One person cannot possibly know everything there is to know! I always tell my students that I don’t know everything but I can certainly find answers because I do consider myself the ultimate student (who is always learning!). In high school science it’s even harder; we are specialized. I know a lot about physical science and especially earth science, but not much about biology (that’s Bing 😉 with her health sciences!)
However, the teachers spoken of in this passage did think they knew everything and Jesus didn’t fit their knowledge base.
The irony is that the Pharisees and teachers needed the teaching Jesus was providing, however they were too arrogant to know this. They needed humility; they needed to humble themselves like the sinners and tax collectors.
B. Where have you been more concerned about ourward appearance than your heart?
With my children and with my career. I was more concerned about how I looked than substance.
C. Let this lead you into asking God for help.
Dear Lord, I have deeply studied Your Word for only about 15 years although I have been a Christian my whole life. It has been over that time that I have gotten better at humbling myself and focusing on You more than myself. Thank You for Your Word and people like Dee who have taught me the truth about what life is really all about. Not me! I still have learning to do; I am not perfect yet. I forget You in the midst of my day, I think I know what is right and wrong, and I consider myself more than You or others. I know You want me to live You and others most, above all other things. Please help me remember that in the busy-ness of my day. Amen.
9. Read Luke 15:1-2
A. What two kinds of people does Luke say were gathering around Jesus? What is the irony in Luke’s statement? – They were tax collectors and sinners. It’s funny because we are all sinners that reach out to Jesus. The Pharisees themselves are sinners. Just keeping a ton of rules does not make a relationship with Jesus stronger. Our hearts have to match our actions.
B. Where have you been more concerned about ourward appearance than your heart? – I would have to say yes, sadly, but yes. Leading a life group sometimes makes me feel like my husband and I need to be perfect since we are the leaders so I tend to not ask for prayer during our prayer requests. But I’m learning that it’s ok to be a leader and not be perfect as long as I am striving to grow and I repent from the issues/idols that are clogging my heart and mind.
C. Let this lead you into asking God for help. – Lord help me to be transparent to the point that my heart and mind are cleansed from the idols/issues holding me back from being close to you. Help me to know that perhaps what I may open up about, could be helping someone else. Help me to not be selfish but to be more open. In Jesus Name AMEN!
10. Does anything stand out to you from Susan’s story? Have you ever tried to reform yourself in your own power and ended up hating yourself? If so, share something about it. – Thank you Susan for being so open and helping all see how a simple comment can make us or break us. Though, like Dee said, the women may not have even realized what they were doing and how it was affecting a new believer. It brings to light that I need to watch what I say and do so I don’t make another believer fall away. I wonder if the church leadership even knew the impact that leader was having on the congregation. Just because I may have gone through something, may not make me a good leader if my heart has not been healed or if I don’t know the true meaning in the Bible.
11. Joy-based repentance runs to God, admitting helplessness, and clings to Him, the True Vine, for help. See if you can find some key phrases that show this in the following:
A. Psalm 51:7-12 – I think verse 7, 8, 10 12 they are all talking about purging and cleansing and restoring the joy of salvation.
B. Psalm 32 – verses 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 & 11 talk about being covered by the Lord when near to Him and how our sorrows are washed away where we can shout for joy and rejoice.
C. Psalm 139:23-24 – These verses just shout joy from being cleansed and know that when the Lord searches their heart they are finally free and can be lead by the Lord forever.
12. Let the above be a springboard for prayer. – Lord I want to have that joy overflowing, to the point I have no fear in what my heart portrays. I want to be free to yell at the enemy, you don’t have control over me any more. I need you Lord to walk with me forever so my freedom is found. In Jesus Name AMEN!
So good from Julie:
Just because I may have gone through something, may not make me a good leader if my heart has not been healed
Maxine Hancock once told me the best books often come from those who have been healed of hurts and the worst from those still in the midst of it.
1. What stands out to you from the above and why? I loved all the quotes on repentance and I see the connection with joy. Repentance is not mentioned much in church. It seems like a dirty little word. I have felt led to repent a great deal recently, and while it is humbling, it is bringing me much freedom. I feel a new found sense of cleanness and peace. Repentance is a gift and I can see the connection to great joy.
Great testimony, Tami!
12. Ah, Lord God! You have made heaven and earth. Not just to show what you can do, but for me. So that when I have turned from my sin I can rejoice in You and through You, before You and to You. You are the One who can change the dirty water of my broken cistern into the very best wine. You are the One who makes me clean. The One who gives me joy filled salvation. You forgave my sin and gave me songs. I can trust You to know me and lead me.
14.A. The secret of tapping into Jesus’s power is to abide in Him.
Was thinking of this the other day. That to abide means to dwell, to live. To be there all the time. To breathe there. To process everything there. To be always running to Him there.
B. Our work is not to make ourselves clean. Our work is to believe in Jesus. And sometimes it does seem like work. It goes against every natural and cultural urge. But those things are filled with chains, and to believe in Him is freedom.
15. O Lord, help me turn every effort into trusting You, and You alone.
Golden from Mary: Our work is not to make ourselves clean. Our work is to believe in Jesus.
9. Read Luke 15:1-2
A. What two kinds of people does Luke say were gathering around Jesus? What is the irony in Luke’s statement? Sinners and Pharisees. The Pharisees judged Jesus for his appearance (eating with sinners) when they, in fact, would be judged for their appearance…or rather their worship of appearance.
B Where have you been more concerned about outward appearance than your heart? My actions of obedience. I always think I hear tasks to do but doubt myself and worry if it will offend the person or be the ‘wrong’ thing to do and so I am paralyzed. I also struggle with my children, looking more to having their actions be in line rather than patiently, gently guiding their heart…letting them live their life and be molded by the Holy Spirit. Instead I get swept up in polishing behavior…
C. Let this lead you into asking God for help. God, forgive my idolatry… fix my eyesight that I might see clearly, as you see the world. Let me be confident in your salvation and follow your guiding, for YOU, not for me or anyone else. Give me ears to hear, let me not grieve your Spirit, Lord. Let me serve joyfully whole, not serve to become whole…
Jill…love your prayer for God to fix your eyesight…may that be my prayer as well.
Have you ever tried to reform yourself in your own power and ended up hating yourself? If so, share something about it.
One area I have experienced this in is prayer. I have in the past tried to make it a discipline, approaching it as a job to be done and this inevitably ended with my mind wandering and me feeling like a failure.
Paul Miller’s A Praying Life was really helpful in changing my mindset.
I do much better when I pray spontaneously throughout the day when I am afraid or struggling when I am moved with gratitude or by what I see as I contemplate truth or when I see my sin. I do better, and pray more when I see prayer as a relationship rather than duty. If my mind wanders I don’t have to be ashamed, I can pray about what it has wandered to.
Chris,
Paul Miller’s book has helped me in the same way, bringing a life-giving shift in how I pray.
Recognizing that prayer is a life-long conversation. I need help learning how to listen to and discern God’s voice more frequently in that conversation.
10. Does anything stand out to you from Susan’s story? Have you ever tried to reform yourself in your own power and ended up hating yourself? If so, share something about it. My heart goes out to Susan! What a degrading experience! =( This sounds like every day in my heart. I have a list in my brain of what I “should do/be” and every night I repent because I have to mark them all as sin or bad attitude… I am a terrible person by my own assessment… I don’t think I’ve ever found joy in admitting to God all the failures I have had in a day…indeed, if I am truly honest- repentance discourages me to tears…not because I don’t want to tell God but I know the Truth and so want to be a child that God delights in and yet I am still the ‘problem child’ forgetting, wandering, distracted… I heard Keller speak on this and he said this kind of repentance is selfish, and I was convicted. Even now I hear my words and the works-righteousness that they shadow. So, what to do? Abide in Him… His presence is the only thing that will change the roots in my heart – but I can NOT come to Him to try and manipulate Him to make me into the person I want to be…I want to love Him just for Him…what release and joy in that! As Mary said: our ‘work’ is to believe (love) Him.
11. Joy-based repentance runs to God, admitting helplessness, and clings to Him, the True Vine, for help. See if you can find some key phrases that show this in the following:
A. Psalm 51:7-12 All of Psalm 51 is gold but the verse that stands out to me today is: Restore to me, the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit
B. Psalm 32 “I will confess…you forgave” “you surround me with shouts of deliverance “ “steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord”
C. Psalm 139:23-24 “search me..know my heart…lead me in the way everlasting “
I cannot do it on my own…Working is striving against Grace…I must rest in, let Him lead, hear His voice
Jill, you sound a lot like me, “I am a terrible person by my own assessment.” I just had someone say to me yesterday that I am too hard on myself. I don’t know why, but I always have been. That’s why I think some of my experience in that Bible study was my own being so hard on myself, and not understanding grace.
I love your honesty and transparency about repentance. I get caught up in the same cycle. I try to remember something else Keller has said. I ask God to help me see my sin as He sees it. That takes the focus off myself, that “problem child” who can never quite please her Father. I love Mary’s words that our work is belief (that He who began the good work in me will complet it! Phil 1:6)
12. Just listened to Johnny Cash song from San Quentin prison. Reminded me of this song by Zach Williams live at Harding Prison entitled Chain Breaker. Some of these men have been set free right there in prison and you can see it in their face.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WtV1XtqsW0
If you’ve got pain
He’s a pain taker
If you feel lost
He’s a way makerI
f you need freedom or saving
He’s a prison-shaking Savior
If you’ve got chains
He’s a chain breaker
He also does this powerful song in the prison called Fear is a Liar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5LNfj2F5qI
I love, love, love this song Nila! Thanks for reminding me 😉.
O my goodness speaking of faces, these inmates say it all..
9. Read Luke 15:1-2
A. What two kinds of people does Luke say were gathering around Jesus? What is the irony in Luke’s statement? There were tax collectors and sinners in one group, and Pharisees and teachers of the law in the other. The second group was muttering about the sinners….they didn’t realize they were sinners, too.
B. Where have you been more concerned about outward appearance than your heart?
In a lot of situations, I have something going on in my heart, like a sinful attitude, pride, a judgmental attitude, but I sure do my best to cover it up and to act on the outside, with my behavior and words, that I’m not like that at all. I would not want to admit my thoughts for fear of being met with rejection.
C. Let this lead you into asking God for help.
Lord, please, I need your help so that my inside matches my outside. I don’t want to be a hypocrite. There are a lot of attitudes that I have that I know what You say about them, and I want to ‘get there’ so that I am in sync with You, but I need Your help. Help me to take some small steps of faith in the right direction.
Dee, I am still having to use Safari to be able to see all of the blog post. I can’t use Internet Explorer. Also, sometimes I’m having trouble moving the cursor as I type my answers – getting it to go where I want it. I used to be able to his “Enter” and it would move down, but it doesn’t do that anymore.
14 and 15. The secret is abiding. Eugene Peterson in The Message version of John 15:5-7 says,
“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.”
I found this article that helped me think about this word abide. It describes three aspects: connection, dependence, continuance. We have a mutual union (He in us and we in Him.) We have a dependence and are useless, lifeless and powerless without Him. And we have continuance as we persevere in trusting Him. The article ends with this statement about abiding: It means keeping the words of Jesus in our hearts and minds, so that they are renewing and reviving us, shaping and sanctifying us, filling and forming us.
https://www.christianity.com/bible/bible-study/what-does-it-mean-to-abide-in-christ.html
Love this song by Sara Groves that is a prayer. Sometimes I sing my way back to our Lord. Music has a way of adjusting my heart and that is part of my process of continuing to abide or returning to abiding.
https://www.google.com/search?q=abide+with+me+sara+groves&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS810US810&oq=abide+with+me+sara+groves&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i61j0l4.7810j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Dee,
A little more feedback for the tech guys. I posted twice this morning and one of the posts was successful. But the other post tells me that my comment is awaiting moderation. Maybe it is because I included a couple links within my post?
Thank you.
Yes, I just approved it. Probably the links.
14 and 15. The secret is abiding.
Eugene Peterson in The Message version of John 15:5-7 says, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.”
I found this article that helped me think about this word abide. It describes three aspects: connection, dependence, continuance. We have a mutual union (He in us and we in Him.) We have a dependence and are useless, lifeless and powerless without Him. And we have continuance as we persevere in trusting Him. The article ends with this statement about abiding: J” It means keeping the words of Jesus in our hearts and minds, so that they are renewing and reviving us, shaping and sanctifying us, filling and forming us.”
https://www.christianity.com/bible/bible-study/what-does-it-mean-to-abide-in-christ.html
Love this song by Sara Groves that is a prayer. Sometimes I sing my way back to our Lord. Music has a way of adjusting my heart and that is part of my process of continuing to abide or returning to abiding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wys_waD_v8
Yes, so true that music can help adjust our attitude! Thank you for the links. Audrey Assad also has one on Abide with Me that is very good.
appreciate your posts so much….
Nila–your posts always draw me in and melt my heart. Abide With Me has a very special meaning to me personally–I have an antique piece of sheet music for Abide With Me, framed on the wall beside my bed.
What a great idea to frame a meaningful hymn — esp an antique sheet.
6. The Pharisees were experts at looking good and holy on the outside. But their hearts were full of greed and self-indulgence. They were really good at counting the tiniest seeds and calling it tithing. But they had omitted justice, mercy and faithfulness. Isn’t legalism about telling someone what they can’t do? God calls us to see His ways. He doesn’t measure out His love, but lavishes it on us through His justice, mercy and grace.
7. Lord, help me to spend more time in Your presence preparing my heart for Sunday morning worship – than I do preparing my wardrobe. I know if my heart were on display instead of what I am wearing my friends would see so much greed and self-indulgence. Lord. I long to be able to be present in Your Presence. Take even this prayer as a sign of my longing to be a clean and pure vessel of Your love – the seed of repentance.
8. I wonder if Jesus wasn’t making a point that water for ceremonial washing only cleans the outside of the body. But He took what was prescribed by Law and demonstrated His superiority to the Law. God doesn’t revel in rules, but His dance is one of joy.
I love to see you getting it and expressing it so beautifully!
God doesn’t revel in rules, but His dance is one of joy.
10. I relate to so much of Susan’s story and had a very similar experience in a Bible Study my first year of marriage, with a book based on Proverbs 31. Similar to Susan, I don’t think the study itself was a problem as much as my response to it. I was 22 and in reading the book, I determined to be the perfect bride. I failed miserably. I would try harder only to fail again. I remember the suffocating weight of guilt and shame, believing my mother-in-law’s assessment was right, I wasn’t good enough. The years of infertility that followed only reinforced the lies, the pain. Looking back, I wish I had known the beauty of humility. I was caught in such a cycle of pride, wanting to appear perfect. Now I see that the ones who are humble about their weakness, are the most beautiful.
The ones who are humble about their weakness are the most beautiful.
9. A. Tax collectors and “sinners” gathered around Jesus because they knew they needed Him. The Pharisees superior attitude resulted in their blindness to their need for a savior.
B. Even at the age of 67, worry about my outward appearance governs far to many of my decisions.
C. I understand clearly now that repentance doesn’t involve a to-do or don’t-do list. It’s about surrender. It is a gift from God: repentance.
10. Thank you, Susan, for sharing your experience as a young Christian. I had a similar experience but I had been a believer for many years. I read a book on prayer That said God couldn’t even hear my prayers until I had fully confessed all sin in my life. Since that seemed and impossible task. I couldn’t pray at all. Every time I tried, I felt bound by rules and regulations. It wasn’t until I rad one of Brennan Manning’s books that I was brought again into the presence of my heavenly papa.
Wonderful response. Brennan Manning has helped so many out of legalism.
12. Lord, search me and reveal to me the anxious thoughts that are leading me to make covenants with false idols. Lead me in Your ways. Restore the joy of Your salvation to me and give me a willing spirit. Make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life (Msg) help me to trust You as the light of Your holiness folds every corner of my life. You have every right to tear down and rebuild my life according to Your purposes and will. Open my eyes to Your invitations to repentance.
14. Read John 15:5-8
A. What does Jesus say is the secret of tapping into His power? – We need to abide in Him and His Words need to be abiding in us. When we have this, we can ask for whatever we wish and will be done for us.
B. How does this relate to what we learned last week in John 6:29? – This ties together, because it says we need to believe in Him, so if we are abiding in Him then we know and believe that He is who He says he is.
15. How might you apply this? Let this lead you into prayer.
A. Idolatry is turning to our own way of meeting our needs instead of to
God. How did the younger son do that? The younger son asked for his inheritance and spent it all living wildly.
B. What pain did his idols bring him? He had nothing left of his inheritance and he was hungry (left wanting). The idols didn’t bring the satisfaction he thought they would, in fact, they brought destruction.
C. What pain have your idols brought you? (Be specific.) Food can be an idol of comfort to me in the moment but it is over in a flash. I have been left with shame, guilt, extra weight to lose, embarrassment when my clothes don’t fit well and not feeling healthy. I am starting to see that I have a few other areas where idols are hidden in my life as well.
D. Turning from idols may bring initial pain, for they will fight. What pain might you need to go through to truly turn from a besetting sin? I know turning down desserts, snacking, eating less at meals is hard, painful at times. It seems as if my flesh is crying out and demanding what it wants. It is painful to walk away without or deny yourself when others are indulging but asking God to help has been a strength. Also, when I get a momentum going in the right direction such as turning to God, telling my flesh to hush, offering what I want to God as a sort of sacrifice, quoting applicable scripture, and avoiding unnecessary temptation, I get strengthened and walk in victory. On the other hand, I have also experienced the opposite such as not praying, not speaking to my flesh, getting too busy to remember why I don’t stock the house with tempting foods, not dedicating my body to the Lord and it seems to get a momentum going in the wrong direction!
3. Use the above as a springboard for you to be honest with God in prayer. Father, help me today to honor you with my body and preserve the life and health you have provided for me. I have set goals to avoid the bread bowl and pass on dessert today and eat in moderation. I lean into you to provide strength and a way out when I am tempted. I reject lies that I need these food to socialize and fit in. I reject the lie that I deserve these foods. I reject the lie I need to reward myself from my hard work this week. My food is not my friend and a lousy reward. Open my eyes to see the lies and traps that are before me. Fill me with your peace that passes all understanding.
4. Describe how the father received him. (Luke 16:20-24) The father welcomed him with open arms, rejoicing and throwing a big party to celebrate.
5. Use the above as a springboard for praise to God. Father, thank you for not letting me down and always being there for me. Your word is truth. Gluttony is a sin. Thank you for revealing that to me. You are my peace and my strength in my time of need.
10. Does anything stand out to you from Susan’s story? Have you ever tried to reform yourself in your own power and ended up hating yourself? If so, share something about it.
I think it’s terrible that the woman pointed out someone had 87 items checked when Susan was just trying to be honest. That would happen to me! I also would have given up.
With respect to hating myself; I pretty much live this way. I find it hard to like anything about myself. So, I don’t think reforming myself would make me hate myself more when that emotion is already in play.
11. Joy-based repentance runs to God, admitting helplessness, and clings to Him, the True Vine, for help. See if you can find some key phrases that show this in the following:
A. Psalm 51:7-12
David is distraught; he begs that God will “wash him whiter than snow.” He asks God to not leave him.
B. Psalm 32
“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
Psalm 32:5 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/psa.32.5.niv
C. Psalm 139:23-24
“Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalms 139:24 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/psa.139.24.nlt
12. Let the above be a springboard for prayer.
Dear God, forgive me for being such a sinner! Please hold me and help me know Your ways better. I cannot do it alone. I need You; You’re good ways and straight path. Please help me Jesus! Amen.
14. Read John 15:5-8
A. What does Jesus say is the secret of tapping into His power?
The secret is to remain in Him.
B. How does this relate to what we learned last week in John 6:29?
He wants us to believe in Him; remain in Him. He says it’s all we need.
15. How might you apply this? Let this lead you into prayer.
Dear Jesus, it is so hard to remember who I really am. I am Yours. I tend to forget. Yet, You say we neeed to remain in You and believe in You. Believing is not as hard as remaining in You. I am dragged down by the weight of Earth and Earthly things. Please forgive me. I want to be like You; in You. Help remind me during the craziness of my day; whisper to me that You are near. Thank You for Your sacrifice so that I can have eternal life. How sweet that is! Amen.
6. Read Matthew 23:23-26
A. What were the Pharisees good at cleaning? The would focus on small parts of the law while neglecting the heart of the law such as practicing tithing but overlooking justice, mercy and faithfulness. The reference to straining out the gnat while swallowing the camel would be similar to the removing the log your eye and then you would be able to help your brother with his splinter. Both cases Jesus called them hypocrites. The pharisees looked at outward appearances and neglected what was really on the inside.
B. What were they missing? They were missing the qualities of God…justice, mercy and faithfulness.
I can be just like them: more concerned that someone sees me impatient with my grandchild than the fact that I am impatient with my grandchild; more concerned with the outside than the inside. God says, “Dee, come to me in genuine repentance, and I will make your heart clean, and then the outside will be clean as well.”
7. Let the above lead you into prayer. Father, I pray that you speak to me about areas I am blind to. I give you permission to reveal them to me. I know my heart is deceitfully wicked and I desire to not sin against you. I have been self centered, prideful, self serving in my church, family and friendships. Show me ways to build my church, family, friendships and neighbors. I desire to be holy as you are holy. Thank you for your grace and forgiveness for my sins. Show me how to be gracious to others and love while hardly even noticing their sins.
8. Give it a stab. With the above in mind, why do you think Jesus first miracle was turning the water in the ceremonial jars into wine? I never really saw the symbolic nature of the miracle… Jesus cleanses us from all our sins and it is now a time for joy and rejoicing.
11. Joy-based repentance runs to God, admitting helplessness, and clings to Him, the True Vine, for help. See if you can find some key phrases that show this in the following:
I need cleansing and I can’t do it myself
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me
whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
I acknowledged my sin to you
And you forgave the guilt of my sin
Search me, God, and know my heart
See if there is any offensive way in me
I believe you can change me and that you want to do it
Create in me a pure heart renew a steadfast spirit within me.
grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me
let all the faithful pray to you
I will instruct you and teach you
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you
See if there is any offensive way in me
I have no hope of peace apart from you
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long
day and night your hand was heavy on me;my strength was sapped
You are my hiding place
surround me with songs of deliverance
the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad
I’m rejoicing at your responses, seeing the penny drop about the first miracle. So exciting!
Would love prayer as I travel to the midwest for a retreat to a grieving church — and to see two daughters — they say there is flooding and I’m driving to be able to see my girls. Thanks!
14. Read John 15:5-8
A. What does Jesus say is the secret of tapping into His power?
Living in Him, being in vital union
B. How does this relate to what we learned last week in John 6:29?
Our work, our abiding, is to rely on, trust in, adhere to Christ
15. How might you apply this? Let this lead you into prayer.
I might apply this by being in step with the Spirit, by denying my impulses to gratify my incessant perceived needs for comfort and approval. By following the voice that prompts me to do a generous thing. And by believing the best about God even when circumstances make no sense to me.
Oh, merciful Father, my need is great. Like Peter, I struggle when I look at my sin, help me grow in believing that when you wash me I really am whiter than snow in your sight.
Help me believe that there is incredible power available to change me and that you want to do this work in me.
Forgive me for my unbelief, Help me see quickly when I am believing lies about you. I want to abide, to stay vitally connected to you, to keep my face turned toward, not away from you. I am weak, but you are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all I ask, for your name and for your glory I ask these things
This fits so well with our study this week:https://www.ccef.org/world-s-best-epilogue-ever/?mc_cid=fcdcf58115&mc_eid=b7c306c634
16. I haven’t been good at either the Lenten devotional or the book Unseen, and didn’t choose to buy the Keller videos. Good thing since I’m not finding time for the other things. However, now that I’m on a right standing again with God, (thanks to this study, Dee) I feel like Lent has served its purpose for me this year.
Please pray for the people of Nebraska. This hurricane on land has severely affected them. Dams washed out as well as bridges and roads. Thousands of people evacuated from their homes. Nila, don’t you live in NE?
Mary,
No I live in Montana but we visit Omaha where our son and family live.
That’s right, Mary. You are in a right standing with God even though you didn’t do an extra devotional! 🙂
9. Read Luke 15:1-2
A. What two kinds of people does Luke say were gathering around Jesus? What is the irony in Luke’s statement? Tax collectors and sinners and Pharisees and teachers of the law.
B. Where have you been more concerned about ourward appearance than your heart? I recently went through a season with my daughter taking my things..mascara, special bowls, nail polish and she would use them and then hide them in the moment. This seemed to happen weekly. She was exploring but breaking boundaries and using, losing and ruining my things without permission. This happened during a recent move to ATL, things were a bit stressful, finances were tight and things were getting lost and ruined. I was getting more irate when it kept happening. I found my mascara in the sports box in the garage. She ruined an special dish I used for entertaining and hid it under the buffet. I realized what I wanted was for her to quit misbehaving and causing me grief. I just wanted outward actions to stop and I was neglecting her heart and mine. I was also allowing my selfish nature to rule and ignoring what was coming out of my heart. I wanted everything on the outside to be perfect with my daughter and my world. I had to reevaluate her value to me and treat her with the grace and love she deserved. She means more to me than any of those things, even if I can’t replace them.This activity wasn’t just a few times but was prolonged like a small season of time. When these thing arose, I needed God to help me in the moment with love joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness…just like he deals with me when I blow it. God really empowered me and taught me so much about her. God showed me she is extremely independent and confident and this was contributing to her actions. She is now 12 and we are able to talk things over and work things out, without hiding things, anger and resentment. She was a good child before all of this new behavior and she is a great, well behaved preteen now. I am thankful to God and his help, his ways to overcome difficulties within our family.
C. Let this lead you into asking God for help. God continue to let me see my husband and daughter the way you see them. Give me the grace with them. You treat me in ways I don’t deserve. Empower me to overcome my selfish nature and treat them with the same grace you give me over and over again. Be in the midst of us day by day. I pray for your empowerment to guide, lead and equipe us.
16. Share what you are learning from whatever you have chosen to do for Lent, if indeed you are adding something!
I have only strayed from my no tv on weekdays once, I watched one movie, I found no satisfaction in it 🙂
I have made relationships more of a priority. I have had conversations with people I hadn’t spoken to for a while, making plans for getting together with a few of them.
I haven’t read much more than I had been though.
We went to a family birthday on Thursday so I didn’t get to watch the Tim Keller Livestream.
I have felt more deeply immersed in our study this week.
Saturday:
17. What is your take-a-way and why?
First is the verse from last week where Jesus said:
“The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
I printed the verse and keep thinking about how quick we are to mistrust God, to believe lies about God’s character just as Adam and Eve did in the garden.
My work is to trust Him, to abide, to stay close and in conversation even and maybe especially when doubts rise up in me about how he is ordering events around me.
Also, the wine replacing the water, that being symbolic of the Holy Spirit. I am guessing that the new wine being better than the old, being led by the Spirit rather than striving to conform to the rules of the law is the way that the new wine is better than the old?
Thank you, Dee, for so richly blessing us with this teaching this week.
Thank you Chris, for sharing this article. So good!
Since we all have some of Peter in us, we are eager to see how far Jesus’ forgiveness actually extends.
9. Read Luke 15:1-2
A. What two kinds of people does Luke say were gathering around Jesus? What is the irony in Luke’s statement? There were the “tax collectors and sinners” as well as the Scribes and Pharisees. The irony is that the Scribes and Pharisees thought they did not belong to the first group!
B. Where have you been more concerned about ourward appearance than your heart? Honestly, I think I am most often concerned with my outward appearance over my heart. One example was a time I was teaching an adult class at Vacation Bible School that had most adults older than myself…but a few that were younger. In an effort to appear clean on the outside I alluded to the fact that during my college days I had wandered from my church roots but never committed any big sins such as getting tattos when in reality I had sinned greatly…especially in that moment!
C. Let this lead you into asking God for help. Lord, please help me lay my heart openly before you and pray with the Psalmist that you would search me and try me and see if there be any wicked way in me!
10. Does anything stand out to you from Susan’s story? I can identify with trying to be honest and checking everything I could think of…I am a checklist kind of person who gets great pleasure in marking things off my list as I make progress. I think that is part of what makes me a died in the wool self-reformer!
Have you ever tried to reform yourself in your own power and ended up hating yourself? If so, share something about it. I have probably spent the better part of life in attempts to reform myself in my own strength…I have been successful at maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, brushing and flossing…but none of that has led to a healthy self-image! it is only as I allow my heart to open towards my Father that I can begin to let God re-form His image in me…cleaning me from the inside out.
11. Joy-based repentance runs to God, admitting helplessness, and clings to Him, the True Vine, for help. See if you can find some key phrases that show this in the following:
A. Psalm 51:7-12 The Psalmist is asking to be purified and cleansed from the inside out so that he can hear joy and gladness. Only when God creates a clean heart in me will the joy of my salvation be restored.
B. Psalm 32 Only those who confess have their sin covered…the upright in heart will shout for joy! When we keep silence and refuse to confess and repent our vitality is drained away as in the oppressive heat of summer.
C. Psalm 139:23-24 Search me and know my heart…lead me in the way everlasting!
12. Let the above be a springboard for prayer. Lord, you know my natural bent is to be silent. To hide my heart. I have learned in human relationships that this is the way to avoid pain. Lord, teach me a new lesson…for you never condemn me when I come to you in confession. Instead, you cleanse, heal, forgive and restore. Teach me of the JOY that comes in turning to you.
14. Read John 15:5-8
A. What does Jesus say is the secret of tapping into His power? Abiding is the secret
B. How does this relate to what we learned last week in John 6:29? The work of the believer is just that…to believe in Him
15. How might you apply this? Let this lead you into prayer. Lord, if you can turn water into wine…and feed the multitudes with a few loaves and fish…you and be trusted to act in my behalf and meet my needs. There is nothing I need do other than trust and obey!
I have been reading in The Valley of Vision this week on confession for I admit that far too often my heart is blind to my sin. My prayer has been that the Lord would make my heart increasingly sensitive to sin in my life. This was meaningful from those prayers this week…Holy God I have sinned times without number, and been guilty of pride and unbelief, of failure to find thy mind in thy Word, of neglect to seek thee in my daily life. My transgressions and short-comings present me with a list of accusations, But I bless thee that they will not stand against me, for all have been laid on Christ;
Lucy,
Thank you for sharing these life-giving words from The Valley of Vision. A good reminder to me to get my Valley of Vision book out. Grateful for your input here.
I didn’t get to posting all my answers because it’s been a really full week, but so thankful for this lesson & for Susan sharing her story.
I wanted to share this also–I’ve been re-listening to an old Keller sermon that has so gripped me and is so timely with our lesson, about the tax collector and the pharisee–self righteousness, moralism…it’s called. “Inside Out Living” and it’s free. https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/inside-out-living-5319/
14. Read John 15:5-8
A. What does Jesus say is the secret of tapping into His power? To abide in Him and He abides in us. Later it says we abide in Him and His Word abides in us. He is the Word.
B. How does this relate to what we learned last week in John 6:29? We can do nothing without Him
15. How might you apply this? Let this lead you into prayer. I am seeing this morning that I do not need sensational experiences with my Lord to be abiding in Him…I can choose to come and abide with Him, He abides in me, and He will use it. The ffruit will grow, it will glorify God. God, may I see your beauty, may it ravish me out of other ‘abidemnts.’ You, you alone, are worthy of pursuing. God, bless my meager, faulted efforts. Grow my love for You, that You would be glorified, Father.
10. Does anything stand out to you from Susan’s story? Have you ever tried to reform yourself in your own power and ended up hating yourself? God is author of our salvation and He completes his good work in us. We can’t force ourselves to change through programs but must rely upon the Spirit giving him access and permission by working him to be conformed to the image of his son.
11. Joy-based repentance runs to God, admitting helplessness, and clings to Him, the True Vine, for help. See if you can find some key phrases that show this in the following:
A. Psalm 51:7-1
Wash me whiter than snow. Dont look upon my sins. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right heart within me. Keep me in your presence and let your Holy Spirit stay with me. Restore t me the joy of salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.
B. Psalm 32
I acknowledge my sin, I do not cover it up and you forgive me. God instructs me and guides me. He counsels me with his eye upon me. Do not be stubborn like a mule that needs to be briddled or it won’t come to you. His steadfast love surround the one who trusts in him.
C. Psalm 139:23-24
Rejoice in the Lord, sing to him a new song, rejoice in your maker, praise him with dancing. The Lord takes pleasure in his people and gives his salvation to the humble. Let the high praises of God be in our mouth and his word in our hands like a sword.
12. Let the above be a springboard for prayer.
Lord I submit to you. I humbly acknowledge my sins. Guide me and instruct me. I come to you willingly. Wash me whiter than snow, renew a right spirit within me, release the joy of your salvation to me. Surround me with your love. I will rejoice in you and in your salvation. I praise you and hold fast to your word.
14. Read John 15:5-8
A. What does Jesus say is the secret of tapping into His power? remaining in him and he remaining in me, I will bear much fruit. If I remain in him and his word remains in me, whatever I ask it will be done for me.
B. How does this relate to what we learned last week in John 6:29? We must remain in him and believe.