Recently, Rick Warren had a devotional
that identified four areas where people tend to have fears or hang-ups: Guilt,
Worry, Bitterness, and Death. Each of these
leads to a place that keeps us from experiencing the abundant life Jesus
promised and from knowing His freedom. Let’s explore how we can have the
freedom God would have us know.
John 8:36
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”
Things to think about:
Dictionary definition of each word:
· Guilt
– a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, or wrong
·
Worry – to torment oneself with or suffer
from disturbing thoughts
·
Bitterness – intense antagonism or
hostility
·
Death – the end of life
·
Which of these LEAST affects you?
o Why
did you pick this one?
o Jesus
said, “If you know the truth, the truth will set you free.”
o Find
at least one Bible verse that sheds the light of the truth on to this issue
o What
does this verse say to you?
·
Which of these MOST affects you?
o Why
did you pick this one?
o Jesus
said, “If you know the truth, the truth will set you free.”
o Find
at least one Bible verse that sheds the light of truth on to this issue
o What
does this verse say to you?
·
What about the other two?
o What
would you say to someone who struggles with this?
o What
Bible verse would you offer them to allay their feelings?
·
The foundation for freedom is truth
o What
keeps us FROM the truth?
§ lies
from the past, the enemy, lack of attention to Bible study and prayer,
temptation
o What
keeps us IN the truth?
§ God’s
Word, prayer, the Holy Spirit, community of believers, staying out of
temptaion’s way
o Let’s
commit to be like the man in Matthew 7:24-27 who built his house on the rock:
§ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts
them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and
beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on
the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them
into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain
came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house,
and it fell with a great crash.”
What keeps us IN the truth and what keeps us FROM the truthare both formative: IN-FORMation. When we allow what keeps us IN the truth to FORM our inside then we are building on solid ground. When we allow what keeps us FROM the truth to FORM us then we are building on very shaky ground. What most affects me is bitterness and I must allow truth to wash it away.
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