Jan's thoughts / notes
Getting In Your Place--Jeremiah 2:12-13
1. Scriptures are clear that our OWN WAY (Jer. 2:19) will not work, the fact that it won't work is God's secondary concern. Forsaking God is the first and the most wicked of the two evils God enumerates in the above passage! (p. 67)
2. There is stability and joy that God gives to those who put their trust in Him rather than in their own devices. (Ps. 16:36)
3. Creation inherently demands dependency (Ps. 100:3). I must face my dependence upon my Creator, repent of my proud ways/attempts to make life work my OWN WAY, and submit to HIS way. (p. 69)
4. Humility--
If I have been humbled before God, I am no longer self-justifying, self-protective, or self-confident. My habitual frame of mind should be one that not only feels I owe all my natural gifts to God but that I have been the object of undeserved redeeming love and I regard myself as being God's alone, in Christ (II Cor. 3:5; 4:7). (p. 73)
How God Humbles Us (p. 77-83)
...He can send us a problem we can't handle to expose our helplessness...II Kings 5
...He can give us a command we won't obey to expose our self-centeredness...II Kings 14:25
...He can arrange an outcome we can't control to expose our sinfulness...II Sam. 11-12
...He can show us a God we can't comprehend to expose our finiteness...Job 1-4
5. Matthew 5:3; 18:3-4 (p. 73)
I am nothing apart from Him.
I am sinful and need His mercy.
I am insufficient and need His grace.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Changed Into His Image, Ch. 3
Jan's Thoughts/Notes
1) I was born with the same basic sinful heart that demands to have it's own way, every day, as everyone else.
We all have our own unique combinations. The rebellion of our own way manifests itself differently in each of us! (p. 50) I Cor. 10:13
I must acknowledge and identify my own way so that I can effectively uproot and destroy that sin in my life or it will continue to re-root and manifest ugliness (sin) in my life.
In this chapter Berg is precise and concise about the different types of rebellion, or "own ways" as he states it. He outlines 3 specific rebels within all of us with a few sub-rebels within each.
I. The Assertive Rebel (out-spoken and/or in-your-face)
5) A Note on: Warring Children
Num. 15:39-40--God was concerned for Israel's heart!
The pull of indwelling sin in my own heart has a deadly effect on my human heart (p. 65)
Identifying Your Own Way
1) I was born with the same basic sinful heart that demands to have it's own way, every day, as everyone else.
We all have our own unique combinations. The rebellion of our own way manifests itself differently in each of us! (p. 50) I Cor. 10:13
I must acknowledge and identify my own way so that I can effectively uproot and destroy that sin in my life or it will continue to re-root and manifest ugliness (sin) in my life.
In this chapter Berg is precise and concise about the different types of rebellion, or "own ways" as he states it. He outlines 3 specific rebels within all of us with a few sub-rebels within each.
I. The Assertive Rebel (out-spoken and/or in-your-face)
II. The Cooperative Rebel (I will obey since it gets me what I want)
- Compliant rebel--ultimately will obey, but slow
- Duty-oriented rebel--the "good kid" wants to be the best and get the recognition
III. The Passive Rebel (the victim)
- "I can't obey"
- "I forgot to obey"
- "I didn't know to obey"
2) My flesh wants to usurp God's control and replace it with my own way. In James 1 he talks specifically about being tempted to sin and have my own way...he teaching is that the source of the temptation is not from above (from God), but within man--from his own lusts. (p. 50)
3) Is There Any Hope?
Yes!!
I Cor. 6:11 "And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
II Cor. 5:17 "new creature" (each of us has been fundamentally changed by the Spirit of God!)
Galatians 5 talks about the putting off (works of the flesh) and the putting on (fruit of the Spirit). There is no problem that God's Word does not address in the Scriptures (p. 57)
I must become accustomed to looking beyond my own behavior and emotions and ask myself, "What is the ruling lust in my heart right now that is driving this behavior or emotion?" (p. 58)
The problem is in the heart of man, not his circumstances (p. 64) How easily I become the 'victim' and give excuses for the way I respond outwardly or the way I feel inwardly. In many circumstances, I justify my sin with excuses.
4) John Owen on Knowing Your Heart
"Is is not enough to watch our circumstances to detect the times of
temptation. We must also watch our heart to know when temptation might
approach us. We need to know our own heart...!"
"Unless we are conscious of these propensities, relationships, and dynamic
possibilities, temptation will constantly entangle us. This is why it is
so important to know ourselves--our temperaments and our attitudes."
"How few truly seek to know themselves, or posses the courage to do so."
(Owen, Sin, 130-132)
5) A Note on: Warring Children
"They certainly need to be confronted about their fighting; but more
fundamentally they need to be confronted about the underlying desire of the heart
that prompted the fight....Merely insisting that the warring parties get along or
separating them fro a period of time may stop the fight, but it will not solve
the real problem--their ruling lust, which is a part of their own way of making
life work for them." (p. 64)
"Not only must that ruling lust be identified and confronted in their
lives, but the offenders must also ask forgiveness of it from God and from those
they are wronging before lasting biblical change can take place. It is
not even enough for the individual to see his ruling list and acknowledge that
he has a problem in that area. Unless he repents with the intention of
forsaking, his fellowship with god remains broken and there will be no lasting
change." (p. 64)
Num. 15:39-40--God was concerned for Israel's heart!
The pull of indwelling sin in my own heart has a deadly effect on my human heart (p. 65)
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Changed Into His Image, Ch. 3
"Identifying Your Own Way"
What is my own way? Having to identify specific sinful patterns in my attitude, behavior and general nature was...um...painful. And although I have known about my propensity to sin in certain areas, now having to actually own them, admit them and seek to forsake them is a whole different ballgame.
1. I am The Cooperative Rebel (p. 52)
I choose to cooperate in my marriage, and even with my children, in order to get what I want, which is usually: peace.
“(My) own way is to comply while retaining the right to protest.” I will acquiesce with Jay or bargain with my children but still harbor resentment that I am not getting exactly what I want or receiving the response that I think I should be getting. If things don’t turn out well, I can easily fall back on, “I didn’t say anything earlier, but I would have said….”
I “…can become easily embittered during the times when (I am) being good and don’t get what (I) want.” It is especially difficult when I think I deserve a pat on the back, a recognition for my sacrifices, a commendation for a job well done…but all is quiet on the home-front. True humility, according to Andrew Murray, is to be at rest when nobody praises me, or when I am blamed or despised.
2. I am mothering two Passive Rebels (p. 54)
“I can’t obey”, “I forgot to obey” and “I didn’t know to obey” are the first, middle and last names of my beloved children. No one taught them to rebel; they do it naturally and quite often.
Mason often says, “I can’t obey” when he does not have the will to obey. It shows his indifference to my command or his resistance to obeying my command.
Madeline is a mix of the “I forgot to obey” and the “I didn’t know to obey”. She chooses to be lazy and not follow through with her obedience or she is choosing to be intentionally ignorant of the rules.
3. Is There Hope? (p. 55)
YES! “There is no problem that God’s Word doesn’t address in the Scriptures. All of the masks of rebellion and the sinful behaviors and attitudes…can be changed.”
Always naming the root/heart issue of the sinful behavior is the best place to start. And dealing with the core sin is the only way to conquer it! Learning how to resist the sin/temptation will require much prayer and vigilance on my/their part.
4. John Owen on Knowing Your Heart (p. 58)
“’Unless we are conscious of these propensities, relationships, and dynamic possibilities, temptation will constantly entangle us. This is why it is so important to know ourselves—our temperaments and our attitudes.’”
When I am “low”, that is, hungry or extremely tired, I know I am prone to being impatient, responding in anger or simply willing to give in to my children’s requests. I must preempt that propensity by eating regularly and not cramming my schedule to full that I am too exhausted to respond biblically at the end of the day.
Although physical needs play a part in my temptation to sin, it is not the true reason why I sin. (See notes below.)
5. What is the Ruling Lust? (p. 63)
“The problem is in the heart of man, not in his circumstances
Separating children, venting to my husband, or acquiescing may “stop the fight”, but it will not solve the ultimate problem. This is the proverbial band-aid on the gunshot wound.
To stop the hemorrhage, I must repent (or help my children to name their own sins) with the intention of forsaking my sin. And I must place this example before my husband and children so they may see my desire to change and be willing to change, too.
Stephanie Flowers
What is my own way? Having to identify specific sinful patterns in my attitude, behavior and general nature was...um...painful. And although I have known about my propensity to sin in certain areas, now having to actually own them, admit them and seek to forsake them is a whole different ballgame.
1. I am The Cooperative Rebel (p. 52)
I choose to cooperate in my marriage, and even with my children, in order to get what I want, which is usually: peace.
“(My) own way is to comply while retaining the right to protest.” I will acquiesce with Jay or bargain with my children but still harbor resentment that I am not getting exactly what I want or receiving the response that I think I should be getting. If things don’t turn out well, I can easily fall back on, “I didn’t say anything earlier, but I would have said….”
I “…can become easily embittered during the times when (I am) being good and don’t get what (I) want.” It is especially difficult when I think I deserve a pat on the back, a recognition for my sacrifices, a commendation for a job well done…but all is quiet on the home-front. True humility, according to Andrew Murray, is to be at rest when nobody praises me, or when I am blamed or despised.
2. I am mothering two Passive Rebels (p. 54)
“I can’t obey”, “I forgot to obey” and “I didn’t know to obey” are the first, middle and last names of my beloved children. No one taught them to rebel; they do it naturally and quite often.
Mason often says, “I can’t obey” when he does not have the will to obey. It shows his indifference to my command or his resistance to obeying my command.
Madeline is a mix of the “I forgot to obey” and the “I didn’t know to obey”. She chooses to be lazy and not follow through with her obedience or she is choosing to be intentionally ignorant of the rules.
3. Is There Hope? (p. 55)
YES! “There is no problem that God’s Word doesn’t address in the Scriptures. All of the masks of rebellion and the sinful behaviors and attitudes…can be changed.”
Always naming the root/heart issue of the sinful behavior is the best place to start. And dealing with the core sin is the only way to conquer it! Learning how to resist the sin/temptation will require much prayer and vigilance on my/their part.
4. John Owen on Knowing Your Heart (p. 58)
“’Unless we are conscious of these propensities, relationships, and dynamic possibilities, temptation will constantly entangle us. This is why it is so important to know ourselves—our temperaments and our attitudes.’”
When I am “low”, that is, hungry or extremely tired, I know I am prone to being impatient, responding in anger or simply willing to give in to my children’s requests. I must preempt that propensity by eating regularly and not cramming my schedule to full that I am too exhausted to respond biblically at the end of the day.
Although physical needs play a part in my temptation to sin, it is not the true reason why I sin. (See notes below.)
5. What is the Ruling Lust? (p. 63)
“The problem is in the heart of man, not in his circumstances
Separating children, venting to my husband, or acquiescing may “stop the fight”, but it will not solve the ultimate problem. This is the proverbial band-aid on the gunshot wound.
To stop the hemorrhage, I must repent (or help my children to name their own sins) with the intention of forsaking my sin. And I must place this example before my husband and children so they may see my desire to change and be willing to change, too.
Stephanie Flowers
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