The world
And other people
Deal us grievous wounds
Not just to our person
But to those we love
To the values and institutions
That made us who we are
Whom we love like a mother
Tag Archives: rejoice
LEAD! C.4 Fervent Fasting
StandardIn Which We Slow Down To Feast on the Lord’s Name
Throughout the Old and New Testament, God’s people have fasted to express sorrow, repentance, and desperation. In ways we only partly understand, these acts of physical denial open up our spirits to experience God in deeper and more powerful ways. For Christians, fasting is less an obligation than a privilege: the opportunity to enjoy a special time of intimacy with our Bridegroom despite his physical absence (cf. Mark 2:18-20).
Memory Verse: “‘Now, therefore,’ says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.” —Joel 2:12-13 (NKJV)
Assigned Reading
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Richard Foster: Celebration of Discipline
- 4. Fasting
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Donald Whitney: Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
- 9. Fasting
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Eugene Peterson: A Long Obedience in the Same Direction
- 13. Humility: “I’ve Kept My Feet on the Ground”
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Ruth Haley Barton: Sacred Rhythms
- 5. Honoring the Body: Flesh-and-Blood Spirituality
LEAD! B.3 From Mockery to Hope
StandardIn Which Our Souls Find Hope Amidst Suffering
Hope is the primary virtue of the Soul. It provides Reasons to encourage positive Emotions, and the Emotional energy to search for better Reasons. It can be defined as “the ability to joyfully pursue a higher purpose — even when painful.”
Hope is particularly needed by the Mocker, who is driven by both the need to control (due to fear) and the illusion of control (due to pride). Yet if they can unclench their soul enough to hope in God’s wisdom, Mockers may yet discover that true freedom comes from giving up control.
Though such learning usually only comes after great suffering…
Assigned Reading
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Peter Kreeft: Back to Virtue
- 5.B (Hope) The Three Theological Virtues
- Dick Hockett: Foundations of Wisdom
- 5. The Mocker
LEAD! A.10 Soul’s Sanctification
StandardIn Which We Are Set Apart For Obedience to Jesus, And Suffer For It — Becoming Holy in The Process
This week we round out our discussion on salvation and conviction by focusing on sanctification, or holiness, words that include being both “set apart” and “made righteous.” The overall idea is forming God’s character in us the way we were originally created to be, before mankind was corrupted.
The process of sanctification is central to our calling as disciples and leaders, yet often poorly understood. Let us dig into God’s word to try to find out what all it involves…
Radically Happy 