Living Beyond Yourself - Session 1 (Cont'd)

Free at Last

(some more thoughts that I shared with MOPS group on Friday, January 20th)

Freedom……what does that mean to you?  We live in a country where freedom is at the core of what our country was built upon.  However, what about freedom in Christ?  Are you free in Christ?

Galatians 5:1 says “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

How many of you want more of God in your life but you don’t feel that anything is happening?

How many of you feel that you need to squash your desires and push them down in order to get closer to God?

How many of you are in bondage to different things in your life that are keeping you from having the kind of relationship that you would like to have with others and especially God?

God is a merciful God who loves us so much.  He wants so much more for us but we have to be willing to reach out and grab what God has for us.  We have to be willing to let go of past hurts and pains in order to step in to the fullness of God.

So do you want freedom in Christ?

Galatians 5:16- 26 says….

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

  19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

There are three things that I believe are critical to our relationship with God and attaining freedom in Christ:

1.    We must accept God’s grace every day (Amazing Grace video) 

a.    Definition of grace – mercy; clemency; pardon - a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior

b.    Daily – this is not a one step program and when you become saved and accept God’s pardon and salvation.  We must believe that God forgives us over and over again.

2.    We must allow God to break the chains in our life and we must pray that our desires become God’s desires

 

a.    Bondage – what are areas in your life that are bondages that are keeping you from God?  Take index card(s) and write them down and date them.  On other side of card write down what you believe God will do in these different areas in 2012.  Let’s pray together to see miracles in 2012.

      Have we allowed bondages in our lives to keep us from walking in the fullness of what God has for us in life?  Imagine chains on your hands and feet……would it be difficult to walk?  What about the simple things in life like eating and drinking?  Would that be easy or hard?  Then imagine these chains on our hands and feet and we are trying to walk with God.  It would be a lot easier for us if we allowed God to break those chains and bondages in our lives….we would walk so much easier.  We used a visual example of handcuffs and asked the question of "How difficult would it be to do typical daily stuff with handcuffs on?" except we live life with handcuffs on.  We also spoke about the show "The Biggest Loser" and in one of the episodes at the end where the contestants have to chain weights on to themselves that are equivalent to the weight that they have lost and then they have to try and run a race and how difficult it is.  However these contestants got so used to carrying around the extra weight for so many years and it was a part of their comfort zone.  Once they lost weight, they were out of their comfort zone.  Some bondages could be inherently good things as well.  
 

b.    Desires - why do you believe that the world is so unhappy with all the material things of this world?  It may be because nothing is satisfying their soul.  Do you feel like you have to squash your desires down in order to make room for God?  How about pouring out your desires and laying them down at the Lord’s feet and then asking the Lord to pour in his desires in to you?  This then means that your desires have now become the Lord’s desires.  This is a lot easier than trying to push down your own desires and then trying to pour the Lord’s desires on top of them.

 

c.    Free at last – we must walk with freedom which means with our heads held high and not walk around in despair and sadness

 

3.    We must be filled with the Holy Spirit

a.    Pouring out - we need to pour out our confessions and our concerns to God (Galatians 5:16-26)

b.    Pouring in – we need to allow ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit – being empty is a great risk (Ephesians 5:18 - 18 - Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.)

c.    Pouring forth – we are competent ministers of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:5-6 - 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Do you want to live in total freedom in Christ?  You must lay everything down at the cross of Jesus daily.  Watch Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) – by Chris Tomlin.

Living Beyond Yourself - Session 3

Greatest of These is Love

This session has been spent learning about the different kinds of love - Eros, Philos and Agape so that we can understand the fruit of the Spirit that is love.  I thought that this would be an easy session for me but I was quickly challenged to put it in to practice.

But before we get in to love, one thing that I thought was pretty interesting in the beginning of our study is how Beth Moore spoke about the fact that many people refer to the "fruits" of the Spirit.  She mentioned that the word is actually singular and that Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of one kind of fruit with nine different qualitites which we will be studying.  That really peaked my interest and made my realize even more that if I truly have the Holy Spirit living within me and I am truly living beyond myself and from the inside out that I would need to truly exemlify the fruit of the spirit in my life.

The first kind of love that Beth shared about was Eros which we all know to be physical or sexual love.  A couple of points that Beth made during this portion of the study really stuck with me.  The first is that physical love or sexual intercourse is to marriage what prayer is to our spiritual life.  Some might think that is crazy to compare the two but then she explained further that prayer is the hallmark of intimacy with Christ and sexual desire and fulfillment are the hallmarks of intimacy with our mate.  I would agree that this is true.

The second kind of love that was shared about was Philos which is generally defined as "the love one has toward a friend or companion".  In fact, the word can simply mean "friend".  A very important characteristic of philos is the adoption of like interests.  James 2:23 tells us that Abraham was a philos of God.  Does this scripture infer that God and Abraham were "chums"?  Hardly.  It teaches us that Abraham adopted God's interests as his own.

In 1 Peter 3:8, Peter challenges us to demonstrate brotherly love.  The Greek word for "brotherly love" or "love as brothers" is philadelophos.  It is a compound word formed from philos which means "friend" and adelphos which means "brother".  In essence, philadelphos means "to love a friend like a brother".  In particular, Peter is exhorting fellow Christians to love one another as if "blood related".  I thank God for my sisters in Christ that are so close that we love one another as if we are blood related!

The last kind of love is Agape love.  This is the one kind of love that I believe I truly understood the least amount until this study.  Agape is not much a feeling as it is a response.  We will discover that God commands us to agape.  He is not commanding us toward a feeling.  He is commanding us to surrender to an act of His Spirit which results in obedience.  Emotion may accompany agape, but emotion and agape are not the same.

Beth Moore shared 15 characteristics of Agape:
1.  First we learn that agape is PATIENT
2.  Next, in 1 Corinthians 13 we read that agape is KIND
3.  Third, Paul taught that agape does NOT ENVY
4.  Fourth, we learn that agape does NOT BOAST
5.  Fifth, we discover that agape is NOT PROUD
6.  Agape is NOT RUDE
7.  Seventh, we are reminded that agape is NOT SELF-SEEKING
8.  Agape is NOT EASILY ANGERED
9.  Agape keeps NO RECORD OF WRONGS
10.  The tenth charactertistic of agape is that it does NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH
11.  Agape ALWAYS PROTECTS
12.  Agape ALWAYS TRUSTS
13.  Agape ALWAYS HOPES
14.  Agape ALWAYS PERSEVERES
15.  Agape NEVER FAILS

So some truths that I gleaned from our study that I wanted to share:

-  Agape is never without effect.  Agape is never in vain!  If we allow God to exercise agape through us, no matter how it appears, no matter what happens - whether the work of agape is in us as the giver, in others as the receivers, or both - it will never be in vain.  If God is calling upon you to love a very difficult person with agape, rejoice that your obedience will never be in vain!  Agape is always effective!

-  We are incapable of agape!  No matter how hard we try, we cannot exercise this kind of love.  We cannot love the unlovely.  We cannot love those who do not love us.  We cannot love those who have hurt us.  Agape is divine love.  Its only origin is the heart of God.  Agape is the love of God expressed through us to others.  Actually it is a response more than a feeling.  This is the way it works:

1.  we confront a situation in which God requires us to agape another person
2.  we admit to Him that we lack agape for this person
3.  we consider how God would personally respond to this person according to the Scriptures
4.  we act in obedience and respond as He would

Ultimately we are blessed to have been the vessel through which a holy God expressed His great love to one of His children.  Nothing else is like God pouring agape through you.  It may be the most difficult request God ever makes of us - and the most glorious privilege.  But it is absolutely impossible without a heart transplant.

Beth shared the following poem called "A Matter of the Heart".

I've arrived at a conclusion,
maybe one of life's rare finds
that there's not a lot worth salvaging
within this heart of mine.

It's ever ready to destruct
and lie above all things...
It tends to laugh when it should cry
and mourn when it should sing.

I've wasted countless hours begging,
"Fix this heart, Lord, please!"
while it stomps its feet, demands its way
and floods with sin's disease.

At last, you're able to get through
and lay it on the line:
"You must give you that heart of yours
and trade it in for mine."

So I cry out with the psalmist,
create within me, Lord
a new heart crystal clear
that only Calvary could afford.

A heart which pounds the rhythm
of heaven's metronome
and issues forth a boundless love
and beats for You alone.

I want to love that which You love,
despising what you hate
and see myself as least of these
oh Lord, retaliate

The efforts of the evil one
who seeks to make my plea
that of his own, "I'll make no move
til I've considered me."

Peel away my fingers,
finally make me understand
the power to love and please You
can't be found within a man.

So, my Lord, I bring this offering;
a stubborn heart of stone
And ask you, in its absence,
please exchange it for Your own.

What powerful words in a great poem!  Lord, I pray that this will be my life's cry!!!

When I read the question, how does God want you to respond to what He showed you today I was totally blown away by his revelation to me.  There were two people that God clearly showed me that I needed to show love and compassion to that I had not as of late.  Then as I was meditating on these words and realizing that it wasn't just about God's agape love for us but that he had commanded me to show agape love to others around me and then gave me the two names of people that I had to change my heart towards....a heart transplant!  Boy, was that difficult!  I realized it wasn't going to be easy!

In 1 John 3:11-24, the Word of God speaks to us that we must demonstrate agape love to others regardless of how we might feel towards them and even if they hate us.  The Word says that is we hate we are murderers and we won't make it to heaven.  That is a very sobering thought!

Verse 20 says "For God is greater than our hearts." (NIV)

So what is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and agape?

The Holy Spirit within us allows us to have agape love for those around us.

Some questions to ponder:

1.  In Christ, you and I are "blood relatives".  How should our kinship affect our relationship?
2.  What does Psalm 145:8 tell us about God's anger?
3.  Proverbs 13:10 says "Pride only breeds quarrels."  The last time you quarreled with someone, was any pride involved in your part?
4.  Read Psalm 119:29-32.  How would your life be different if you could wholeheartedly embrace the words and attitude of the psalm?
5.  Remember, God both told us He loved us and showed us He loved us.  How do people know you love them?  In other words, in what ways are you demonstrating agape?

Feel free to answer any or all questions or post your own comments.  I know God has really been speaking to me through this study....and challenging me!

Living Beyond Yourself - Session 1

Free at Last!

During the first week of our study together, we began with an overview of the Book of Galatians.  "Galatians makes an astonishing statement about Christian freedom:  It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  The goal of our trip is genuine freedom - the freedom that comes only through a life filled with the Holy Spirit.  Such a life displays the character traits the Bible calls the fruit of the spirit."

Galatians 2:20 says "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  What does it really mean to be "crucified with Christ?"  The term means identifying with Him in His death in such a way as to allow Him to live through you.  Although every believer has been "crucified with Christ" in the ultimate sense of victory over sin and the grave, we must make certain choices to be crucified with Christ for victory in our daily battle with sin.

In Day 3, we looked at ten characteristics of the crucified life.

1.  Few will understand
- If you seriously decide to live a life crucified to self and alive in Christ, you will discover that few will understand.  More importantly, those who misunderstood will most likely be the ones you have to relate to the most.  Galatians 2:20 describes a radical change that many find confrontational.

2.  You must abandon your own will and your own agenda
- As long as you cleave to a personal agenda and continue to nurse your own will, the personalized daily will of God will be thwarted in you.

3.  Your intimate spiritual companions will be few
4.  Intense times of aloneness with God are required
5.  You will be constantly on the witness stand

- There will never be a time when we are not subject to the observation of others.

6.  You must  go "outside the camp"

- Do not be surprised when God continually forces you outside your comfort zone.
7.  There will be times when your dignity is forfeited
8.  You must forego your rights
9.  You must accept that death is painful

- We love our flesh and it hurts to have its desires crucified!  Never misunderstand pain as permission to forego the will of God.

10.  Because He was forsaken, you never will be

"Perhaps you continually struggle with the fear that if God had known some of the mistakes you were going to make and the sins you were going to commit, He never would have chosen you.  Scripture is clear - God foreknew you from birth to death, yet He predestined you for His very own.  It's called grace.  I don't understand it either, but I praise the name of the One who offers it!"

So what does this all mean for you and me?  To be totally free and live a life filled with the Holy Spirit we must be prepared to step out of our comfort zone and it may be painful at times because we struggle with our flesh.

Some questions to ponder - please go ahead and post any comments to any or all questions.  I would love to hear from you.

1.  Can you think of a time when seeking someone's approval ultimately proved to be a very negative influence in your life?

"Galatians 1:10 says "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."  So you might say, what does seeking the approval of man and servanthood have to do with one another.  Approval and servanthood are connected because we become immediate slaves to the person(s) from whom we seek approval."

2.  For you, what would it mean to seek only God's approval?

3.  Read Matthew 27"32-44.  Put yourself in Jesus' place.  How difficult would it be to surrender your rights and not "come down from the cross and save yourself"?

4.  Can you describe an instance in which you were challenge to "believe" God and He showed himself faithful?

5.  In what way did the Father show His great love for you, and what does His demonstration suggest about His willingness to meet your needs?

Living Beyond Yourself - Intro

Our MOPS group is starting a self-paced online bible study called "Living Beyond Yourself - Exploring the Fruit of The Spirit" by Beth Moore.  This study is based on Galations 5:22-23.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

This is a great option for those busy moms out there but is open to everyone (men and women alike)!  This online bible study allows you to watch the videos from any internet browser at your own convenience. 

Some women might hesitate to join this online study because they are familiar with Beth Moore and know that her studies have quite a bit of homework.  In trying to be sensitive to that (especially with those busy moms out there) we are going to watch one weekly session and do 5 days of homework but we are going to extend the timeline to every two weeks (instead of one).  Take 15 minutes every day.
  
In order to purchase, please go to www.lifeway.com/lby

The cost is $23.95 and includes streaming video/audio, downloadable homework, session notes, online Bible study tools and an interactive community.

The member book is $14.95 and is optional.

We will start our study on Monday, December 12th (please note that you can go as fast or as slow as you want).  Also, please note that this Bible study is not meant to replace anything else but I know there are many of you out there that may be struggling with your devotional time as I do at times (especially with young kids) and I think this would be a great way to get in to the Word and share with one another.

So you are asking what do I do next?  Purchase the online study.  Logon starting on Monday, December 12th and start watching the Introduction Session Video and then download Week One's Homework and finish by Friday, December 23rd. 

On Friday, December 23rd, log on to our blog and you will find a blog post with discussion questions.  Join in the discussion and post your comments.  I am looking forward to this journey as we study God's Word together and learn how to apply the Fruit of the Spirit to our daily lives.

Remembrance

When you woke up today, did you think that today might be a day that changes your life or someone you are close to forever?  If you truly realize this, how do you live your life differently?  Will you cherish every moment?  Will you make every day count?

15 years ago today, September 22, 1996, my life was changed forever.  I had no idea that it was going to be changed so drastically when I woke up that morning.  All my dreams of what I hoped for my life were totally not reflected in the life I was living at that time.  In fact all of my dreams had recently crashed around me.

But God!

I had been dating a guy for 6 1/2 years and I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with them.  I had gone through a tumultous relationship and had split from this guy and spent 6 months in San Diego, CA when I went through a very difficult time which in turn brought me back to NJ.

I am sharing this story so that people can remember God's hand being on their lives because his hand was surely on my life and the man that would eventually become my husband.

I moved back to NJ and had been introduced to a mutual friend.  We became fast friends but totally had no inkling that we would eventually be together.  We talked about our relationships with other people but it became increasingly evident that we had become best friends and were not complete unless we were together.

So back to 15 years ago today, I went out with friends that night and this guy was there and we had both been talking to our family and friends about our feelings for one another but both of us were scared because we didn't want to ruin our friendship which had become very important to both of us.  We were afraid that if the other did not feel the same way that what we had would have been destroyed.

So long story short, we told each other how we were feeling that night on the way home and as they say the rest is history.

We started dating exactly 15 years ago today and are married for 13 years with three beautiful children and both serving God and walking with him.  Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!!!!

So here it is, I had no idea what was around the bend in my life.  I had no idea what was going to happen the day after, the week after, the year after or 15 years later.  For many of those years, I was not even walking with God or serving God.  However he had my life in the palm of his hand and he was totally in control.  I could never have imagined my life turning out the way that it has and I just want to give all glory to God for his hand upon my life and my husband, Corey.

Let me encourage you, if you are in a tough spot and you are feeling overwhelmed by life and you wonder if God is really out there and if he cares for you, let me tell you that he does.  Life may not be what you had hoped for or dreamed about but know that God is in control and he loves us so much.  Look what the Lord has done.....remember!

Trust

My mom shared the following verses with me recently and I wanted to share with all of you during this time.  You are all in my thoughts and prayers!  Trust in the Lord.

Nahum 1:7 - The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in him.

Psalm 13:5 - But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

Psalm 52:8 - But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.

Psalm 115:9-11 - All you Israelites, trust in the LORD - he is their help and shield.  House of Aaron, trust in the LORD - he is their help and shield.  You who fear him, trust in the LORD - he is their help and shield.

Psalm 119:42 - then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word.

Psalm 20:7 - Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Psalm 62:8 - Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Isaiah 26:4 - Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.

Isaiah 30:15 - This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Isaiah 12:2 - Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense, he has become my salvation.

Psalm 56:3 - When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Psalm 56:4 - In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust and am not afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?

Psalm 56:11 - In God I trust and am not afraid.  What can man do to me?

Psalm 26:1 - Vindicate me, LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered.

Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 28:7 - The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 125:1 - Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

Do you trust Jesus?