Good job, well done! (Week 3, Day 4)

In today's society, it is often believed that we need to redeem our vices by our virtues – if we just do enough good, it will cancel out the bad. But if our virtuous acts are seen as a means for nullifying sin and securing a place in heaven they are no longer virtues but acts of selfishness. Even if it is just praise we long for, the best of our deeds are no longer pure. If I am completely honest with myself, I know I am a glory hog.  And I don't think I am alone in this. What I mean is, I enjoy words of praise when others see my kind deeds. It feels good to receive recognition from people for an accomplishment.

·       What does Isaiah 64:6 tell us about the things we are proud of and would expect to be commended for?

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                

We have learned that our vices can only be redeemed by our Lord Jesus Christ. The same holds true for our virtues. By imputing Christ's righteousness on us, God the Father looks at our good deeds as if they were done in complete selflessness, with no ulterior motives and not coupled with pride.

·       How did the Master perceive the servants' efforts in Matthew 25:21?

                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                 

Hear you heavenly Father speak these words over you.

You are allowed to make mistakes (Week 3, Day 3)

Visiting state parks is a huge treat for my kids. There is so much to discover. The biggest attraction at one of the parks in our area is the huge number of frogs. Even my 3-year-old, Mercy, managed to catch several on our last outing. But she proudly held her treasures a bit too tightly. Big sister reported the tragedy to me. Desiring to comfort Mercy and teach her how to hold frogs more gently, I started walking towards my youngest girl. Sadly, when she saw me approaching, Mercy ran away with her hands covering her ears. At first I was puzzled to see her flee; then I realized that this is exactly how I respond to God when I feel the pangs of guilt. I run away from Him, my source of comfort, too ashamed about what I have done. Watching my daughter vividly portray a picture of my reaction to my Heavenly Father birthed a desire in me to learn to run to Him, not away from Him.

God the Father is neither harsh nor overbearing. Hear his heart toward you in the following Bible verse: "I led them with cords of kindness, with the band of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke of their jaw, and bent down to them and fed them.” (Hosea 11:4)

It would never enter a loving father's mind to explode in anger when his child makes a common mistake; neither would he harshly criticize his toddler for falling while learning to walk. He encourages him to get up and try again. In the same way, your Heavenly Father is cheering from the sidelines, speaking encouragement.

·       Look up John 3:17. What does it tell you about God the Father?

                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                    

Knowing that the Father loves us in the midst of our failures prevents us from getting on the emotional rollercoaster of, "He loves me, He loves me not." We can run to Him, no matter what.

I do not hold anything against you! (Week 3, Day 2)

"I have shot Christians at their baptism. I have done a lot of things that I am ashamed to admit. I try to do a lot of good things, but I am just not sure whether they outweigh the bad." Mohammed, affectionately known by my family as Uncle Mogli, grew up in rural Egypt. Having suffered under the stigma of being a member of the only family in town who had been abandoned by their father, Mogli was easily lured into an Islamic terrorist group. Here he enjoyed the respect and camaraderie he had had longed for. But these glory days were short lived, as Mogli ended up being arrested and sent to prison, which gave him ample time to re-evaluate his life. Truly regretting his terrorist actions, Mohammed fled the country to start over. But the past would not let go of him. Sitting in our living room with my husband, J., Mogli began pouring out his heart. "How can I ever do enough good to still make it to heaven?" he lamented.

"You never will, and you don’t have to," J. explained. "Jesus did it instead of you. When He died on the cross, He took the punishment for all you have done. When you accept what Christ has done for you, God looks at you as if you had lived a perfect life. The Bible says, 'He remembers your sin no more' (Heb. 8:12). Through Christ we have forgiveness. You can receive His forgiveness today by confessing your sins and accepting that Jesus has paid the price for you. You can come before the Father without shame, knowing that when you confessed your sins, they were taken away. Whenever he looks on us He sees the righteousness of Christ.”                                                                 

"I love that Jesus!" Mohammed shouted.

I love that Jesus, too!

·       Read 1 John 1:8-9. What is God revealing to you?

                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                           

Would you like to know the Father's forgiveness? You can receive it today by praying, "Father, I know that I can never be good enough. I am a sinner and deserve Your wrath. Thank you for sending Jesus to die in my place. I accept His sacrifice for me, setting me free from the debt I owe and clothing me with His righteousness. Please be the Lord of my life."

·       Tell your small group leader or a friend if you have made this commitment.

Ideally the blessing of forgiveness and every other blessing would come both from our earthly father and from our Father in heaven, but some of us will never receive the desired blessing from our father. This is one of the deepest wounds a child can suffer. It is natural to feel anger and resentment for what should have been, but a heart that is hard toward an earthly father makes it nearly impossible to receive a blessing from God the Father. Forgiveness is the spiritual atmosphere He wants you to live in. Stewing in resentment means remaining in the paralyzing grip of shame and regret. "The choice to remain in unforgiveness is a choice by which we are separating ourselves from the merciful love of the Father. In doing so, we are choosing to remain orphans." (Abba's Heart by Neal Lozano, Baker Publishing Group, 2010, pg. 171)

·       Why is God asking you to forgive in Matthew 6:14-15? 

                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                        

Forgiveness is an act of the will, not a feeling, trusting in God to change our hearts. Continue to forgive until you are sincerely able to ask God to bless your father. It is possible. I know, because God is doing this in me.

·       Be specific when you speak out forgiveness. Rather than saying, "I forgive my father," say, "I forgive my father for his harshness" …or "I forgive my father for abandoning me," etc. This helps you release and forgive each offense. It might be helpful to do this in writing below:

                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                        

Having taken this step of forgiveness does not necessitate that you put yourself in a situation where further abuse is possible. Maintaining boundaries is important to prevent further abuse. Forgiving our Mothers and Fathers by Fields and Hubbard provides much helpful advice.
 

I know you completely! (Week 3, Day 1)

"I hate it!" I yelled, flinging my New Testament at my fiancé's feet, all the while, cringing inside at the hideousness of my own behavior. At the time, I really didn't understand what had triggered this reaction, and neither did my stunned fiancé. All I knew was that I was tired and burned out. This Christian religion was not working for me. Truth is, I was believing that my worth was based on my ability to keep all of God's commandments. Most days I thought I was actually doing well. Pride is quite blind. This day was different. God, in His severe mercy, removed the blinders from my eyes. The Bible, acting like a mirror, revealed every blemish and wrinkle, making me see my own ugliness.

Over the following weeks and months, I became increasingly depressed until I reached a point where my sins overwhelmed me and my strength completely failed me. Little did I know that this was exactly where God wanted me to be. Realizing that I had nothing to give to God but my weakness and ugliness, I was surprised to find out that God had known this all along, and still loved me! 

Grateful to a God who created everything out of nothing, and who was willing to take my empty, dirty hands and fill them with forgiveness and the righteousness of Christ, I finally began to understand grace. He took my ashes and turned them into something beautiful! Being known is not scary, but freeing.

Five years after our wedding, my husband actually became a professor of New Testament. He is very glad that I have stopped flinging Bibles. Instead, I daily come to my Lord empty-handed. His grace is sufficient!

·       Is there anything you have been trying to hide from God? Whatever it is, He knows it already and loves you anyway. Read Psalm 139 and write your thoughts or a prayer below.

                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                              

·       For extra reading on being known, look up 2 Corinthians 12:9  and Jeremiah 1:5.

The Blessing of Forgiveness (Week 3 Intro)

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight." (Eph. 1:7-8)

Am I good enough? Answering this in the affirmative has been a lifelong quest of mine. God's blessing is an unexpected answer to this question. This week, hear God's answers as He blesses you with the words: "I know you completely and yet I do not hold anything against you. You are allowed to make mistakes. Good job, well done! I would do anything for you!"

I am so proud of you! (Week 2, Day 5)

Last night, I watched the movie Sing with my kids. The plot focuses on a diverse array of animal characters who enter a music competition. The most talented is a gorilla, whose father is completely unsupportive of his singing. After the gorilla's breakthrough performance, his friends surround him to celebrate his success, but he remains downcast. Without a blessing from his father, this personal victory rings hollow. Suddenly, the father bursts onto the scene, encircling his son in a loving embrace and saying, "I am so proud of you." The experience is redeemed. Now this singer is ready to join in the party.

But what if the father had not shown up? What if he had never become supportive? This is the situation many of us find ourselves in. This is where it becomes significant that God has already given us His fatherly blessing, which far outweighs our father's words or actions.

·       Hear Him speak this blessing over you, His child, as you read Matthew 3:17. Write this verse below.

                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                          

 When the Father blessed Jesus after His baptism, His child had not preached a single sermon and had not performed a single miracle. The Father's blessing is not dependent upon performance.

·       Write your thoughts or a prayer in response to this truth.

                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                             

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You are not alone! (Week 2, Day 4)

It was Christmas Day. I sat alone in a small apartment in a dismal industrial suburb of Berlin, Germany. Motionless, I stared at her exposed wrist, consumed by the desire to end my life. Giving way to emotional pain blurred the clarity of my perception, causing me to believe, "there is no hope," and "it will never get better."

Only 2-1/2 years earlier, my life had been transformed when I had committed my life to Christ. Immediately, the joy of a soul set free was tainted by the reaction of my step-father as he revealed his hatred for God. He let out a seemingly endless salvo of curses at any mention of God. Finally, I decided to leave this verbally abusive situation by flying to Australia.

I hoped for a new start, living with my father and his wife, but those dreams were short-lived, as my faith in Christ was ridiculed on our first night together. Within 10 days my stepmother expressed, "I wish you were dead!" and my dad drove me to the nearest village, demanding, "Where shall I drop you off?" He then resisted contact for the next 15 years.

Turning to the church for help, I found refuge in the home of a local elder. In him I experienced the father-figure I had always longed for. Mistaking this for a romantic relationship, my host mother revealed her antagonism toward me, saying, "I wish you had never been born!" and insisted that her husband send me away.

Broken and humiliated by my perceived failure, I returned to Berlin, thinking that I might be received back into my stepfather's home. When he offered to pay for a one-way ticket back to Australia, expressing his desire to never see me again, an acquaintance offered me the use of his one-room apartment for the duration of his three-month business trip.

So there I sat, abandoned and depressed, mulling over the hurtful words which cut into my being so deeply, that the destructive thought of literally, physically cutting myself to end all pain seemed like a soothing promise. "No one wants me to live" became the demonic mantra in my head until suddenly a different voice broke through the darkness: "Even if no one else wants you to live, I do. I have made you, My plans for you are to prosper, and I will never forget you."

God, who had pierced the darkness of the world by sending his son 2000 years before, pierced the darkness of my own life that Christmas. Just like after my conversion, life did not immediately get easier. Two weeks later, when the apartment was re-claimed by its owner, I checked myself into an orphanage so that I would have the financial support to graduate from high school. But even though my circumstances were far from easy, God's truth instantly changed everything. No matter what lay ahead, I knew He was with me and I was not alone. Suddenly, nothing else mattered.

·       What situations make you feel alone?

                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                               

·       Read the following Bible verses and describe how this truth helps form a new outlook. Psalm 68:5-6a, Psalm 27:10

                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                            

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