BECOMING: The Upside Down Kingdom, Issue 8

BECOMING The Upside Down Kingdom

Editor’s NOTE

Welcome to Issue 8, Friends!

The kingdom of God is sometimes called the "Upside Down Kingdom" because it operates counter to our natural inclinations; it defies our expectations in every way. Again and again in His Word, we see God reveal truths that appear to contradict each other. They are what we call paradoxes: seemingly absurd or contradictory ideas that are really true. Paul explains it this way: "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised thingsand the things that are not- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him." 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 We want to achieve greatness through personal recognition and wide-spread influence, but God says that greatness comes from humility and sacrifice. We want find strength in our own abilities and self-confidence, but God tells us to allow Him to be strong in our weakness. The Bible teaches us of crazy ideas like finding joy in serving others and having true freedom through obedience. It tells us not to hold our possessions or our people too tightly because they don't really belong to us, that God is good even when things are bad, and that the way to live life to the full is to fully die to self.

We struggle, oh, do we struggle, to trust that these truths are real and put them into practice.

Why? As with so many things in life, we put our trust in what we can see and feel. We put our faith in ourselves and tangible things because they bring satisfaction in the here and NOW. They immediately gratify. But, God has Hs eye on other things. He does desire to bless us in this life, but our pleasure in this life is not His ultimate goal for us. He's looking far down the road to eternal life; he's molding and shaping our character to reflect His Son. The world sometimes looks at Christian beliefs and deems them absurd because they don't understand them. If we are honest, sometimes we don't even understand them, and it takes some effort on our part to work these ideas out. But, work them out we must- for the strength of our own faith and for the benefit of those who would become believers around us. Join me in embracing an upside down way of thinking and living that glorifies God and brings ultimate truth to our lives.

Always BECOMING,

Shannon

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in this ISSUE

Phoography by Rhissa Parker

FEATURES

4

Thinking Upside Down

9

Crazy Beautiful

10

Obedience Ses Us Free

13

Branches Depend On The Vine

16

We Find Srength In Weakness

19

Repenance Brings Renewal

TOOLS & APPLICATION

7

Upside Down Thinking

22

Q & A, My Favorie Things

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Upside Down Thinking Writen by Shannon Basso

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True story. A group of antsy, bright-eyed five year olds gather for their preschool graduation. They are excited and proud of themselves, and they parade down the aisle of the chapel with heads held high. It's a Christian preschool, so things proceed as you might expect. The kids sing their Jesus songs, they are prayed over, and they are awarded their very own Bibles. It's beautiful and precious and the parents are like paparazzi, snapping photos of their little ones.

And then, the bomb drops. As their closing sendoff, the children gather at the front of the chapel one last time and belt out Lady Gaga's "anything goes" anthem, "Born This Way". No joke.

The original, grown-up version of this song is a commentary on human sexuality. Her assertion is that no matter what our sexual preference, it's all acceptable because God made us each perfect.

While I wholeheartedly believe that the song was naively given to the preschool class to promote God's love for them, I seriously question the wisdom of putting such emotionally and politically charged words into the mouths of children. (And if you've seen the very disturbing, very sexual music video, you will completely understand why my heart aches at the thought of these words coming from 5 year old mouths.)

Even if you lift out the singer's rally cry for sexual freedom, what is the intended message for a group of preschoolers?

What exactly are they celebrating? What is it about the way they were born that would elicit such confidence and joy?

Were they born perfect? No, that can't be it. We have to look no further than Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden for the answer to that- we are all fallen and sinful. All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; there are none righteous (Romans 3).

Although God's intentions for humanity may have been for perfect communion with Him in eternal life, we do not live in that reality right now. We are not born perfect.

So, maybe the message to the kids is that they're born "ok just the way they are"? Again, the entire narrative of the Bible is that, in fact, we are very much not ok just the way we are! Our sin has separated from God with no way back to Him except through belief in Jesus. There is no more important message our kids need to hear than they are not fine just the way they are. They are in desperate need of a Savior.

Furthermore, once a person is saved by grace, the rest of their life is spent in sanctification- in the pursuit of righteous and holy living through the power of the Holy Spirit in them. The believer's life takes a marked turn from "ok just as I am" to a focus of transformation, away from who they were to move toward being like Christ.

(To be sure, we have to help our kids reach a healthy self-image: too high a view and they don't see their need to be saved, too low a view and they will never feel worthy of God’s grace. We have to help them recognize and repent of sin while simultaneously being a conduit of His love.)

If we are to live in God's Upside Down Kingdom, then we must be able to look at the world through an upside down lens. We have to understand, through knowledge of God's Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that God's ways stand against natural human instinct. "That seems right to me", a decision making process based on emotions rather than intellect, is never an acceptable way to discern truth. Yet, this is how the majority of our culture determines it's values.

We'll take a look at some of the lyrics of the song "Born This Way", and discover why Gaga's call for a life of "boundless freedom" is a pack of lies.

"Love yourself and you're set."

Last I read, the Bible still gives these as our greatest loves- God and others. Love yourself never makes it in. I'm all for knowing who you

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are and having the confidence to stand up for yourself and your convictions. I'm even all for "being happy with who you are". But, I can tell you from experience, that kind of confidence only comes from our identity in Christ. Apart from Jesus, we will never find the satisfaction of being content with who we are because we're fundamentally separated from God, and that means something is always wrong.

The ability to truly love who we are is a gift that only comes from belonging to God. A sinful heart is not capable of producing satisfactory love for itself, and so it is that "love yourself and you're set" is a lie of epic proportions. It's a man-made mantra and its infusion into young minds has resulted in the narcissism of our society. Here's the real lesson: Love the Lord, and he will teach you how to love others and be at peace with yourself.

"God makes no mistakes."

True. But, we certainly do! When this phrase is used, it is usually not to point out God's perfection, but in defense of behavior that is unbecoming or unacceptable. We say, "This is the way I am, and since God made me and He doesn't make mistakes, then I must be ok." But, this line of reasoning doesn't follow. It is not logical for us to transfer God's perfection to ourselves, and therefore, not logical for us to assume that because God made us our fleshly inclinations are always pleasing to Him. Just because we are fearfully and wonderfully made, does not make us perfect and it does not excuse sin habits.

If I am a person that naturally has deep concern for others, but I have turned that concern into a habit of worry and anxiety, am I free to simply say, "God made me this way and He doesn't make mistakes"? Or, am I responsible for refusing to trust God and trying to control life with my own vices? In the context of the original song, this line is used to justify any which way of living.

"We are all superstars.�

Every child has immense value and they are gifted with natural talents, abilities, and gifts that will help them be light in the world.

But, their uniqueness and ability to make a difference ought always be channeled towards bringing glory to God. To blurt out to a kid that they are a superstar in order to build up their self confidence subtly conveys that they themselves are the source of their own greatness. The human nature is to desire glory for self; we have an innate ability to make everything about us.

Humility is the way to greatness in God's Kingdom, and His kingdom is the only one that matters. A self-confident superstar with a high view of himself is unlikely to see the value in laying down his life in service to God. Sometimes, being a light in the world means teaching a GED class to underprivileged adults with ugly problems‌ far from glamour and acclaim. God calls some to light dark and lowly places, far away from the limelight and superstar status. Most of us are so built up in our "Love yourself, Superstar!" mentality that we are unwilling to go where the Spirit desires to lead us.

I realize that these are all quippy, common little sayings that, taken separately and isolated, may be easily dismissed as no big deal. I bet we all have said "You're perfect just the way you are" to our little ones when they are feeling a little down on themselves.

When we look closer at these statements, though, we have to acknowledge that these are careless words that reflect worldly values. And, if we are careless enough for long enough, a twisted message gets through.

So, let's start using intentional words like servant more often than superstar; saved by God's grace, instead of perfect just the way you are; love and honor God, instead of do whatever makes you happy. Tell your kids the truth. They were born this way: to glorify their Creator. B

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GOOD TO KNOW UPSIDE DOWN THINKING Belonging to God’s Kingdom while living in this present world can present difficulties for the Christian.

How do we decide what values and truths to build our lives upon? The apostle Paul encourages us to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Here are 3 qualities that help us determine whether something belongs in Upside Down Kingdom living.

ABILITY TO DISCERN ASK: Where did this idea come from? Is it a

reliable, biblical source? Does it glorify me or God? This sounds good or feels good is not a sound way to decide what is true.

WILLINGNESS TO BE BOLD

DESIRE TO KNOW TRUTH ASK: What does God’s Word have to say?

Be willing to understand what God

values. Don’t just guess or assume you

know what the Bible has to say, find out for sure.

ASK: Am I willing to reject widely held cultural values when they prove false?

If you live your life by Upside Down

principles, you will eventually have to

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speak the truth in love!

tame my flesh & fix my eyes a tethered mind

Freed

from the lies ~ Mumford & Sons ~

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CRAZYbeautiful The Bible sometimes describes those who belong to the Kingdom of God as strangers or aliens to this present world, and it is not hard to understand why.

As Christians, our thoughts, actions, decisions, and perspectives often contradict the common cultural wisdom.

We live in the Upside Down Kindgom, and we understand what the world does not- that God values things that last for eternity. While the world strives franticly to live for the NOW, we fix our eyes on the unseen and are not afraid to live in obedience, humility, and an awareness of our own weakness. Here, we explore 4 beautiful biblical truths that the world considers.... well, crazy.

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Principle No. 1:

Obedience Ses Us Free Writen by Melissa Ramb

“I may repeat ‘Do as you would be done by’ till I am black in the face, but I cannot really carry it out till I love my neighbor as myself: and I cannot learn to love my neighbor as myself till I learn to love God: and I cannot learn to love God except by learning to obey Him…for the longest way round is the shortest way home.” ~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

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I was shopping recently when the 1990 Soup Dragons hit, "I'm Free" began playing in the background. I hadn't heard the words of this song (released by the Rolling Stones in 1965) in years, and it amazed me how quickly they came back to me. "I'm free to do what I want any old time. I said, I'm free to do what I want any old time."

What is freedom? It is being free to choose what I want, when I want it? According to the Oxford Dictionary, freedom is the “power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint; the absence of subjection to foreign domination; state of not being imprisoned.” As Americans, our freedom is the bedrock of our country; we not only claim our right to freedom, we celebrate and sacrifice our lives for it.

Let us follow the rabbit trail of freedom as sung by the Soup Dragons. If we are all free to do what we want any old time, what does that look like?

How do we live in a world where we are all doing what we want to do, are our own masters, and doing anything we want to do? How do I interact with others in a way that keeps me as number one while acknowledging that they are their own number one? Can you imagine the pure chaos and anger that would result each time you interacted with another human being? We cannot all be number one. It isn't humanly possible.

So, if this secular definition of freedom doesn't hold beyond an individual living an isolated life, let us take a look at the Gospel's definition of freedom. In John 8:31-32 Jesus says "… if you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free". 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.”

In these verses, there is a direct correlation between how we chose to live and freedom.

Since Genesis 1:27 proclaims that "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him," then it stands to reason that the more we resemble God, the more free we become.

But how do we begin to look like God? This question leads us to another word that our culture has as strong, if not stronger, reaction to than freedom…. obedience. Looking at the Oxford Dictionary again, obedience is "compliance with an order, request, or law; submission to another's authority." At first glance, the Oxford definitions of freedom and obedience appear to be mutually exclusive. If I have the power or right to act, speak, or think as I want, then I am not submitting to another's authority. How does the Gospel unite these seemingly opposing words?

For me, the answer lies in choice. When God is calling the Israelites as His people, he repeatedly tells them to obey His commands “so that it may go well with you and that you may increase…" (Deuteronomy 5:33, 6:3, 12:28).

Jesus tells us in John 14:23, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."

What is so difficult for us to comprehend is that obedience is for OUR good and not God’s. He desires for things to go well for us and to live intimately with us, but He will not force us to choose to obey and love Him. If obedience yields blessing and intimacy with God and transforms me more into His likeness, then I am able to use my freedom to choose to obey Him. The truth is, we all are enslaved to something- if it is not God, then it is to our ambitions, our need for approval, control, admiration, success, our children, vanity… the possibilities are endless.

We all voluntarily choose to order our lives around the things we think will provide the stability we crave. The question is whether we think that God is trustworthy enough to earn our full obedience.

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Eve encountered this first in the Garden of Eden.

From the beginning God said, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die (Genesis 2:16).� In the following chapter, when the serpent tempts Eve, he not only encourages her to doubt what God said but also to question whether God could be trusted. The serpent suggests that if Eve dutifully obeys God, God would not only abuse her but also keep her from hidden pleasures. With that first bite of fruit, Eve asserts her freedom to disobey and the results are not what the serpent promised. Instead of becoming like God, Adam and Eve experience the removal of God’s intimate presence and .

Like Eve, we all struggle with trusting God with our full obedience. We like thinking we can do anything we want any old time. We worry that God will ask things of us that may challenge us, cause us to look different from others, change our priorities, and perhaps give up things. So, how do we apply this Gospel connection of obedience and freedom to our daily lives? If I may be so bold, I challenge you to take the leap of faith and begin to be more reckless in your obedience to the Lord.

See if He is worthy of your absolute trust and whether He blesses you with deep intimacy and freedom from the things that bind you. While He does not promise us a problem-free life, countless material blessings, or perpetual health, He does promise that He will come and live with us and set us free from the bondages of sin, shame, fear of death, and the countless mirages of false contentment that the world uses to entice us.

As humans, we fight for our freedom, we cling to our rights. Yet over and over, God invites us, not as a cosmic task-master or kill joy, but intimately, as the Creator of our souls and the source of our true freedom, to choose Him. Yes, we are free to do what we want any old time, but may we, by the grace of God, use that freedom to choose a life of obedience to the only Master who is worthy of it.

{ DIGGING DEEPER } LISTEN: Perfect Freedom by Tim Keller READ: Best of All by Max Lucado (for kids)

REFLECT: In what areas do I find it difficult to obey God? Why? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

What would I have to give up in order to obey Him in this area? What freedom am I afraid of losing? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

List at least one small way you can choose to move towards God in trust and obedience. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

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Principle No. 2:

Branches Depend On The Vine Writen by Nikki Ickes

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” ~ Jesus, John 15:4

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“You can do anything, jus pu your mind o it!”

“All you need is you!”

“Believe in yourself!”

Sounds pretty good, right? If all I need is myself, I am all set in life. Self-reliant. Happy and successful to my own attribution. Isn’t this the line of thought that our society breeds and nourishes with constant marketing, subliminal add messages, self-help books, do-it-yourself courses, and even self-indulgent “spirituality”? Then, why are anxiety disorders ranked in 2013 as the “most common mental illness in the U.S, affecting 40 million adults 18 or older, which is equivalent to 18% of the US population? Furthermore, “major depressive disorder” is listed as the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15 to 44 and affects approximately 14.8 million Americans, equivalent to about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population ages 18 and older. (www.adaa.org) The Bible tells us why. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine, and you are the branches. If any remain in me and I remain in them, they can produce much fruit. But without me they can do nothing.” David Platt writes in the book Radical, “The dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept in the American dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability. The American dream prizes what people can accomplish when they trust in themselves, and we are drawn toward such thinking. But the gospel…beckons us to die to ourselves and to believe in God and trust in His power…God confronts us with our utter inability to accomplish anything of value apart from Him.” Americans revere independence, but God calls us to complete dependence. Even in examining God’s one and only son, Jesus Christ, we see a pure example of dependence upon the Father in every act of his life and teaching. Jesus proclaims

in John 5:19- “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing alone. The Son does only what he sees the Father doing, because the Son does whatever the Father does.” Greatness only in complete dependency.

Jesus relied on His Father for each and every word he spoke. John 12:50 says, “So whatever I say is what the Father told me to say.”

Furthermore, Jesus never asks for the complete plan from his Father but instead exemplifies trust and reliance on the Father moment by moment, day by day, in reverent prayer and with an attentive ear. John 5:20 says, “The Father loves the Son and shows the Son all the things he himself does. But the Father will show the Son even greater things than this…”

Finally, we never see Jesus lift himself up or take credit for any of the miracles or holy attributes he possesses.

John 5:30-31, “I can do nothing alone…I don’t try to please myself, but I try to please the One who sent me. If I only tell people about myself, what I say is not true.”

If the message of Jesus is complete and utter dependence, how could we possibly think of ourselves as greater, more independent beings than Christ himself!? When viewed in this light, the world’s message of self-sufficiency is purely absurd. As Christians, we need to remind ourselves daily of Jesus’ example and God’s Word which calls us to be branches dependent upon the vine. In order to lead a Spirit-filled life and “produce fruit” that will glorify God with the way we live, we must have a deep conviction of the reality of our dependency. John MacArthur has this to say about our ability to be fruitful in God’s kingdom: “Fruit-bearing is not a matter of being strong or weak, good or bad, brave or cowardly, clever or foolish, experienced or inexperienced.

Whatever your gifts, accomplishments, or virtues, they cannot produce fruit if you are detached from Jesus Christ.”

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We cannot lift ourselves up, but instead stay rooted in the truth that “a student is not better than his teacher, and a servant is not better than his master” (Matt.10:24).

David Platt stresses how crucial this point is.

“Even more important is the subtly fatal goal we will achieve when we pursue the American dream.

As long as we achieve our desires in our own power, we will always attribute it to our own glory…This, after all, is the goal of the American dream: to make much of ourselves. But here the gospel and the American dream are clearly and ultimately antithetical to each other. While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God.” (Radical, 46-47).

So how, as believers, do we live our lives contrary to what the world teaches of self-sufficiency, selffocus, and self-indulgence? How can we change our daily lives to focus and depend on God alone in all things? And when we see Him at work in our lives, how do we make sure we are giving Him all the glory and not taking some of the credit back to boost our own egos and wrongfully assume we were the ones to accomplish great things?

Here is a good place to start…staying rooted in God’s Word, praying for humility and open eyes to God’s presence and power in our lives, and remaining in a daily state of awareness, awe and praise of our Lord and Savior. We can memorize and commit to living out the words of Psalm 16:2, “I said to the Lord, “YOU are my Lord. EVERY good thing I have comes from YOU!” B

{ DIGGING DEEPER } READ: Radical by David Platt Fruitfulness section of “Abiding in Christ” by John MacArthur REFLECT: If Jesus demonstrated total dependency on the Father, how much more are we, His branches, called to be “dependent upon the Vine”? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ What are some areas in my life that I need to let go of control and self-reliance and depend on my Holy Father? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ How can I keep myself in “check” so I do not lift myself up on a daily basis, but instead honor my Holy Father in all my success and achievements? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

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Principle No. 3:

We Find Srength In Weakness Writen by Jaime Bracket

“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

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Weakness is not valued in most cultures. It is often seen as a great handicap and detrimental to our worth as human beings. The word weakness brings to mind many other words: feeble, small, powerless, invaluable, helpless and, perhaps, worthless. One’s weaknesses are often spoken of as emotional, educational, and career hurdles to overcome to achieve success. How could anyone, then, ever think of weakness as a source of strength or power?

This is what the apostle Paul has to say about his own weaknesses in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: “But he [God] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

That seems like a complete and utter paradox to worldly thinking.

For context and understanding, Paul is speaking to the Corinthian church and warning them about false prophets who had been teaching them about their own version of Jesus, the Spirit, and the gospel. These false apostles were boasting about their own strengths and righteousness and denouncing Paul because he was, in their mind, not as great a speaker as they. Plus, he had been persecuted so many times and in so many ways that the false apostles were telling the church that Paul’s persecution was a sign of weakness. It was something to mock and not admire. Certainly, it was nothing that brought credibility as an apostle of Christ.

The false apostles had such arrogance regarding their superiority that Paul refers to them, tonguein-cheek, as “super-apostles.” Paul admits to the church in Corinth that he has suffered much

persecution and has seen much hardship for the sake of Christ, but he was ready to boast in these so-called weaknesses because they were endured while preaching the true gospel of Christ crucified.

Therefore, Paul has no issue with boasting of his weaknesses because he states when he is weak, then he is strong. Paul gives himself over to the Lord completely and is persecuted, but God works powerfully through his humble attitude empowering him to endure all kinds of hardship.

God used Paul’s situation to bring glory to the power of Christ: not by getting rid of Paul’s weaknesses but by giving Paul strength to endure and to even have joy despite his circumstances!

God’s power is made perfect in weakness!

So, what difficulties are you facing? Where are you relying on your own strength or confidence to pull through? Is God asking you to do something that is out of your comfort zone or that is causing you to suffer persecution? Where, by the world’s standards, do you look weak?

As I apply this to myself, I think back to when I was working full time as an Audiologist for a local hospital. I had spent many years in graduate school to earn the degree that was required for this field and was pretty proud of myself. I had earned a doctorate, and I liked hearing Dr. Brackett every day. I can honestly say it was not in an arrogant way but in a “man, I worked hard and earned this” way. When I became pregnant with my first child, I was often asked how long I would take for maternity leave before returning to work, as that was the assumption. Admittedly, I figured that is what I would do. After all, I had worked hard for that degree and, in today’s society, I could be both mother and career woman.

God, however, had a different plan for me. Two years earlier, the Lord led me to Bible Study Fellowship. I had been studying the Bible and my

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spiritual life was flourishing! One morning on my way to work, I was thinking about working versus staying at home with my child after he was born.

The Lord clearly spoke in my heart that succeeding at work and being called doctor would bring glory to me, but staying home- as He was calling me to do- was how He would bring glory to Himself in my life.

At that point, it was settled. I would stay home and be with my son. A little further down the road, God unfolded a plan for our family that I never expected: homeschooling. Many would understand my choices, but many would not. To this day, there are those who probably think my education was a waste!

As I began my journey at home, God gave me the great desire to want to teach His Word- both with my family and in my BSF study. During this season God was calling me to tasks that were much bigger than I could ever possibly accomplish in my own strength, knowledge, and power. But, as I followed Him in trust, His power was greatly displayed because of my great weaknesses. On a regular basis I could proclaim, “Look what the Lord has faithfully done!”

Now, having retired from teaching at BSF to focus on our growing family and homeschooling (we now have four children), my challenge is to draw on the grace and power of the Lord and humbly recognize that raising and making disciples under my own roof is a much larger task than I can complete in my own strength.

That is opposite of what the world would suggest.

The world would have me draw on the power of myself and read the latest worldly self-help books.

Instead, even in hardship, when my own “thorn” pierces come from within as doubt and feelings of inadequacy, I will choose to remember God’s words to Paul. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” B

{ DIGGING DEEPER } READ: 2 Corinthians 10-12, 1 Cor. 4:12-13, Luke 22:31-32 LISTEN: Christ’s Power Perfect in Weakness

by John Piper REFLECT: What difficulties are you facing? Where are you relying on your own strength or confidence to pull through? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

Is God asking you to do something that is out of your comfort zone or that is causing you to suffer persecution? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ How can you apply these Scripture passages today in your current circumstances? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

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Principle No. 4:

Repenance Brings Renewal Writen by Shannon Basso

I OFTEN LAY IN BED AT NIGHT, exhausted from the day, and think, "Isn't it amazing that God made our bodies capable of recharging as we sleep so we can get up and do the same thing again tomorrow?" We can be utterly spent in the evening and wake up refreshed in the morning. But sometimes, it's not that simple.

Sometimes, life is overwhelming and we need more than just physical refreshment.

Sometimes, our hearts need to be revived; we need spiritual renewal.

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You would think that searching for God's instruction on receiving refreshment and renewal for our souls would produce an inspirational article about approaching the throne of grace with confidence, that God knows the plans He has for us, and that with faith we can move mountains.

But, as is often His way, God had an unexpected lesson for me to learn.

In the bible, the term "renew" is most often used as a figurative term, meaning "to regain inner strength and resolve in our pursuit of God" or "gain knowledge for spiritual renewal". That is the kind of renewal I am referring to- an inner spiritual restoration of some kind. My first search for God's instruction on refreshment and renewal yielded this from Acts 3:19, "Repent and turn to God, so your sin may be wiped away and times of refreshment will come."

Interesting, and very important. But, not what I was looking for. I tried another one: "If you repent, I will restore you, so that you may serve me" (Jeremiah 15:19).

Again, not what I expected. This went on for a while. I did find several verses where the mention of renewal is not directly tied to repentance- be transformed by the renewing of your mind; our rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit; those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; outwardly we are wasting away, but inwardly we are being renewed day by day. Still, we see in these examples that the renewal offered is dependent on an initial act of repentance leading to saving faith, for we know that this kind of refreshment could only come to those who belong to God. The word repent does not simply mean to have sorrow for our sin, but to actually turn away from it. RC Sproul says, "True repentance does not mean sinlessness in this life, but it does mean a full reorientation of one’s direction and love of self and sin, a marked turn from what opposes Christ to Christ Himself." When we confess and

turn away from our sin in order to choose the things of God, we shed the awful weight that sin brings upon our hearts and lives. Repentance yields the fruit of a changed life, one freed up to live in joyful service to the King. And so, it is no wonder that God calls us to repentance. It brings a renewed sense of vitality to our faith.

As we seek to live as citizens of God's kingdom, it is worthy of our time to explore the area of repentance and confession. Here are 3 ways that confession (leading to repentance) restores our souls: Firs, CONFESSION GIVES US PROPER PERSPECTIVE. Psalm 38:18 says, "I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin." When we are troubled by our rebellion against God and we acknowledge our low estate, we also acknowledge our need to be saved from it. True confession demands that we see our offenses clearly; it brings us to our knees and lifts our eyes to the only One who can provide forgiveness and freedom. As Daniel 9:9 says, "The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him". In prayerful confession, our sinfulness contrasts with God's holiness and mercy, and a proper biblical perspective is restored to our lives.

You see, if renewal is to come to you and to me, God will be the One to accomplish it. These familiar words remind us: "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quite waters, he restores my soul." And in Isaiah 26:12, "Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us."

Second, CONFESSION RESTORES RELATIONSHIP. This is an absolutely vital part of our relationship with God. As fallen human beings, we participate in sin which separates us from God. And while God's interaction in our lives cannot be reduced to a specific formula (for He can work in all situations), we can say with certainty that living in

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disobedience strains our relationship with Him. We cannot expect to receive the renewal He desires to give us when we are living in opposition to His will. 2 Chronicles 7:14 shows us the way back to Him: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin." Confession restores our relationship with God. Third, CONFESSION BREEDS A WILLING HEART. Humans don't naturally have a desire to obey God. But, as we begin to mature in our faith, our sins begin to pain us because now we know better, and naming them can bring spiritual and even physical heartache. We rebel against the God who has been so good to us, but as we are transformed over time, our rebellion loses its appeal. Of course, we can never escape sin completely here on earth, but we can pray as King David did, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me". Confession, if we let it, will lead us to a greater desire for Christ-like righteousness.

As we consider these results of heartfelt confession, do you notice the character trait that is central to all of them? The quality of humility is not an esteemed virtue in our day, but it is absolutely necessary to coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ, and to partaking of the blessedness that comes from being in God's family.

Philippians 2 tells us that our attitude should be the same as Christ's, who humbled himself and became obedient, and God exalted Him. Jesus didn't have any sin to repent of, but he came and "made Himself nothing" so that you and I could be made new. The renewal we look for is a gift we do not deserve.

It is not something we demand to receive from Him; instead, we fall on our knees in humility, repentance, and obedience and ask to be renewed for His Kingdom's cause. B

{ DIGGING DEEPER } READ: Daniel’s Prayer, Daniel 9 LISTEN: A Call to Repentance (#52)

by David Swanson REFLECT: Most of us have hidden sin that we avoid confessing or habits that have become second nature. What are yours? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

Where do you need renewal? How might confession begin the Spirit’s work in you? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

True repentance requires humility, a value that is not praised in our culture. Read Philippians 2:5-11 and learn from Jesus. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

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Q & A with...

JODI THORP Jodi opens up her heart to share that, even in deep sorrow, God does work in all things for the good of those who love Him. Be encouraged by her testimony!

SB: It’s always been fascinating to me that God is able to take heart-wrenching pain and turn it into something good. You and your husband, Case, recently walked through a very difficult time. How did it start?

In the summer of 2009 I felt God saying to me “Well done, now take a break from ministry, focus more on your family. It is your time to rest”. So I dropped most of my ministry responsibilities at the church. What I did not know at the time was God knew a major challenge was on the way.

After a very busy summer, Case and I were delighted to find out we were pregnant with baby #3. On our seventh wedding anniversary, August 10th, we began to miscarry at 10 weeks.

After several tests and procedures, it was determined that I had a complete molar pregnancy. Instead of forming a complete fetus, a tumor had formed. I had a very rare form of stage 2 cancer called choriocarcinoma. And, I would not be able to try for another child for at least a year.

So, a miscarriage, a cancer diagnosis, and the possibility of not having more children heaped right on top of each other. What was going through your mind and heart?

Not only was I grieving the loss of a baby, but because of the cancer, I would have to undergo 6 weeks of chemotherapy, have weekly blood work drawn for 6 months, then monthly blood work for another 6 months. I was reminded of Job 1:21 which says, “I was naked when I was born, and I will be naked when I die. The Lord gave me these

things to me, and he has taken them away. Praise the name of the Lord”. I knew children are a gift from the Lord. They are not ours, but His. I’m not saying God caused me to miscarry, but He certainly did not prevent it for reasons I’ll never know in this life. He is sovereign, and in His sovereignty I take comfort.

It would have been really easy to be overwhelmed by the immediate pain and loss of your circumstances. How did God show you a bigger picture?

The chemo and the blood draws were constant weekly reminders of my health, and why I was not able to have another child. While it was a very long, sad period for us, the Lord provided in love, support and peace abundantly. Each week during my treatments, I saw the Lord move like no other time in my life. Between the people I met at the hospital, the nurses, old and new friends, and our church community, God made it clear to me that my purpose was to share His love and His grace with those around me.

In the midst of all this, I remember listening to you share about how amazing it was to see God glorified through your pain. You had many opportunities to proclaim His name.

Every single week of chemo I had someone in my life devote their lives to Christ because of my suffering; I had a nurse- a single mom- who committed to bringing her son to church; I had another nurse promise me she would go get a Bible after hearing my reason for still smiling

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smiling despite my loss. At one point, I prayed that God would not take the suffering away because I gained such strength, hope, and courage from being able to share why I still smiled and found laughter in the sadness.

2 Corinthians 1: 4-5 says “God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us.” This is it! A purpose to be found in our suffering and loss is to bring His kingdom glory, to support others, and for Him to refine us to be more like Him. The apostle Paul often talks about suffering as a privilege; that’s something we struggle to understand. Most of us want to know why God allows us to suffer.

our wedding anniversary! We were on the verge of accepting that we may not be able to have another child. The last month before we were going to have to close the door, we were able to conceive. God did it! He made things right! He gave me back my anniversary. Yes, God is that good and He is that powerful.

What the world saw was me losing a baby and developing cancer that may jeopardize my chance to conceive again. What I saw was God using me as a servant for His kingdom. I learned that I was privileged enough to suffer for Christ’s sake in order to reach and teach others about His kingdom. I learned it was not about me, but His ultimate goal of bringing others to know Him! B

There’s a great exchange between Jesus and his followers in John 9:1-3, where Jesus notices a man who had been born blind. His disciples asked whether it was the man’s own sin or his parents’ sin that had caused his blindness. Jesus answered them, “It is not this man’s sin or his parents’ sin that made him blind. This man was born blind so that God’s power could be shown in him”. Jesus used my suffering to deliver praise and thanksgiving in His holy name. It is my constant prayer that my story, my loss, my journey will be a testimony to others.

This was a long, hard road for you and your family. But there was great blessing waiting for you on the other side...

When we were able to start trying for more children, we didn’t know if we would be able to conceive. I struggled celebrating our anniversary since we had suffered such a loss. I wanted to celebrate my marriage and what Case meant to me, yet how could I do that when I lost a child on our anniversary and then developed cancer?

Well, guess what? We were able to get pregnant and this precious baby’s due date was August 10th, BECOMING Magazine 23

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Jodi’s Favorite Things: The Bible~ direc and pure!

Gardening Cooking good food.

(Jodi is a wonderful and hospiable hosess!)

Running. I clears my mind and it’s awesome prayer ime!

Riding bikes with my kids.

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Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 BECOMING Magazine 24