01/09 - 01/13 2017The Ultimate New Year S Resolution

01/09 - 01/13 2017The Ultimate New Year’s Resolution

Update: For most of 2017 we will be in the Gospel of John. As we do so, our Vision Focus is that we will grow in our experience of awe at meeting, knowing, and worshipping God. In John 3:22-26 we find John the Baptist’s resolution for the year ahead of him: that he might decrease in order that Jesus might increase. In 2017 may be a year where we also are less focused on ourselves and see Jesus increase in our lives.

May you know the awe of true worship as you seek God in his word this week:

Awe is what we experience when God comes close: when the veil between us is lifted, when we see reality more clearly, and we are drawn into a more accurate experience of who God is, who we are, and what reality unaffected by the fall was meant to be like. Awe is not just a moment of worship, it is a taste of heaven.

As our Daily Worship Devotions do not recap the sermon from Sunday, I’d encourage you to download/listen here.

If you are new to these Daily Worship guides, there is a Song of Commitment and Closing Prayer after the list of daily reflection questions.

Song for this weekBlessed Be Your Name (

Where possible we will use songs that are live recordings of our worship singing at Church of the Redeemer. You should be able to access them by clicking the link. You can also download them to your computer, phone, etc. (Please copy & paste rather than drag & drop).

Some Recommendations

The goal of the study/reflection questions is to help you get into the text and meet Christ in it, i.e., to worship and meet with God. Avoid engaging with these questions as if it’s a “quiz” where the goal is to get the “correct answer” and then move onto the next question. My prayer, goal, and hope is that the questions will help open up the Word of God – what it means and what it is saying – in order that you might meet God, experience Christ, and hear from the Holy Spirit.

1) I do recommend the full liturgy for each day.

2) The questions for each day may seem a little open or vague. The space they create is intended to allow space for the Holy Spirit to meet with you. Don’t be afraid of using a Study Bible (like the ESV Study Bible) or Commentary. Work hard to not rush through the reflections and questions. The goal is to experience/hear from God.

3) Sing the songs! (Really) Each week we focus on one songs. Download it to your phone so you can listen repeatedly during the day. Singing is a vital spiritual discipline because, when we sing, our mind, body, heart, emotions, and will are all engaged in worship at the same time! That is rare. If this week’s song does not appeal to you, substitute one of your personal favorites.

Opening Prayer

O God, Eternal King and Father of all mercies,

whose light divides the day from the night

and turns the shadow of death into the morning:

To know you is eternal life

and to serve you is perfect freedom:

Drive far from us all wrong desires,

incline our hearts to keep your law,

and guide our feet into the way of peace;

that we may do your will with cheerfulness during the day,

and when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks;

through Jesus Christ, our risen and reigning Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Confession(John 3:36)

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Lord Jesus, you left the light of Heaven’s glory to come to a dark and cold world. In staggering humility, you put on human flesh, lived a fully human life, tasted our sorrows, and died the cruelest death to bring the light of your kingdom to a world that did not deserve it.

Though you offer to be with us, we often turn away from you.

Our sin scars your creation, our own hearts, and our relationships with others.

Though you invite us into abundant life, we often do not welcome you.

You come to us, yet we are too busy to notice. You speak, and we are too full of ourselves to hear. Change us, O Lord. Help us to know you more.

Make us more sensitive to your presence with us so that we may experience you.

May we know the joy of your perfect forgiveness and full cleansing. Increase our capacity for wonder and awe for the sake of your Kingdom and for your glory.

Absolution(John 3:31-36a)

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.

Intercession

Pray this week for your own self, your community, church, city, and this world to know the resurrection of Jesus in accepting the good news of the gospel. Pray by name those you want God to bring into his kingdom.

Scripture Readings & Reflection

Please review the introductory comments above inyellow.

May you know the awe of true worship as you seek God in his word this week:

MONDAY:

1)Lectio Divina – Divine Reading, where the reader follows four rhythms for the purpose of hearing God’s word for them that day. ReadJohn 3:22-36four separate times (following the instructions below).

Review our definition of awe above and pray that God would meet you in his word and that you would worship him in awe

PAUSE and ask God to speak to you as you read.
READ – Read the passage, paying attention to words or phrases of Scripture that stand out most to you. After reading, write them down.
REFLECT – Read again, and reflect on what is stirred or touch in you personally from this reading.
RESPOND – Read again, and ask what you want to do in response to this reading.
BE or REST – Read again, and then sit in silence to let God further speak to you through the passage.

2)Write down what you experienced from God today.

3)Close with our Closing Prayer below.

TUESDAY:

Review our definition of awe above and pray that God would meet you in his word and that you would worship him in awe

1)Centering Prayer – A form of brief grounding prayer that can be prayed as a form of greeting the Lord, a returning to him, or as a cry for help. Centering Prayers should be prayed regularly through the day. Consider setting alarms to remind you. Often, centering prayer is particularly helpful when we find ourselves stretched, challenged, or troubled. Rather than lose our tempers and default to our normal way of dealing with conflict or difficulty, in those situations, using a Centering Prayer can be an exclamation for help.

Read John 3:22-36 and review your reflections from yesterday.
Now take what you’ve received from the passage and form it into a brief prayer. For example, “Jesus’ obedience is mine. I am complete in him.” “God doesn’t loath me” “He is holy, worship him.” “Lord, make me rely on you” or “Lord, help me give up control.”
Pray this prayer now and use it throughout the day and week, especially when you feel the pull of temptation. Don’t just pray it once and move on. Take some time to actually communicate with God: to speak and to listen.

2)Close with our Closing Prayer below.

WEDNESDAY:

1) Read John 3:22-36 and contrast it with what happens later in Read Luke 7:18-23. We know from Matthew 11 that these events take place when John is in prison. (The events that John’ disciples report to him in prison are that Jesus has healed a Roman Centurion’s servant and also raised a widow’s son in some obscure village). Let the contrasting situations sink in.

In what ways in John the Baptist in a different place?
What has changed?
Can you identify?

2)In John 3, John the Baptist was proclaiming that he was to decrease so that Jesus would increase and that he was not simply okay with this but overjoyed. We understand how suffering, hardship, and disappointment can impact us. The Bible has many songs of lament questioning God. But we also must consider how the world (including the Christian world - books, blogs, etc) has formed our expectations for (the Christian) life. Read the following verses and ask God to speak to you about what it means to follow him in this world.

John 13:12-15
John 15:18-21
John 16:32
John 17:14-16

3)Ask God to help you see what you expect for/from the Christian life – for you and for your loved ones.

4)Close with our Closing Prayer below.

THURSDAY:

Review our definition of awe above and pray that God would meet you in his word and that you would worship him in awe

Read the passages and your reflections from yesterday.
Now take what you’ve received from these passages and form it into a brief prayer. For example, “Jesus’ obedience is mine. I am complete in him.” “God doesn’t loath me” “He is holy, worship him.” “Lord, make me rely on you” or “Lord, help me give up control.”
Pray this prayer now and use it throughout the day and week, especially when you feel the pull of temptation. Don’t just pray it once and move on. Take some time to actually communicate with God: to speak and to listen.

2)Close with our Closing Prayer below.

FRIDAY:

Forgiveness –God has forgiven us for all our past, present, and future sins.In its simplest and literal Greek form, “forgive” means to send away, release, or let go. God has gone to great lengths to restore his people to him so that he might walk with them and be their God! But often we struggle to accept his forgiveness. One of the keys to discern how much we have actually accepted and received God’s forgiveness is to ask “How forgiving am I?”

Review our definition of awe above and pray that God would meet you in his word and that you would worship him in awe

ReadJohn 3:22-36.
Consider first: Have you experienced the deep grace and forgiveness that this passage articulates, i.e., When God sees you, what’s the expression he has on his face? Disappointment or delight?
Are there any people who come to mind whom you need to forgive? (People who steal your rest, people [or things] who require you to over-work, people you are performing for hoping to win their approval/acceptance etc.,)
What is the cost in your relationship with God and your relationships with others of your lack of forgiveness?
What is keeping you from forgiving?
Pray to God and forgive people the ways that they have wronged you. Ask him to help you truly release the pain and find freedom in forgiving and being forgiven.
Close with the Closing Prayer below.

Song of Commitment-Blessed Be Your Name (

To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.

01/09 - 01/13 2017The Ultimate New Year’s Resolution

Blessed Be Your Name

In the land that is plentiful

Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name

When I'm found in the desert place

Though I walk through the wilderness

Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out

I'll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name

When the sun's shining down on me

When the world's 'all as it should be'

Blessed be Your name

On the road marked with suffering

Though there's pain in the offering

Blessed be Your name

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Blessed be Your name.

To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.

01/09 - 01/13 2017The Ultimate New Year’s Resolution

Closing Prayer

O God, Eternal King and Father of all mercies,

whose light divides the day from the night

and turns the shadow of death into the new morning:

Show me this day what sin and shame looks like in my life:

that I might be freed from its ugliness, lies, and loneliness,

that I might grow in appreciation for the Cross of Christ.

Guide my feet in the way of humility so that:

forgetting about myself I may serve others,

owning your grace, I might be more gracious,

entering into the resurrected life you secured for me, I might more fully alive.

Create in me a new and contrite hearts so that,

I may receive from you full pardon and forgiveness;

through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

List of Deep Desires

Distorted/Deceptive Desires

Distorted desire: you long for impact and you take control or manipulate to get it or you long for intimacy and you look to pornography
Deceitful desire: when you look to any material, experiential, positional, or relational desire to satisfy a deep desire.
Only God can truly satisfy a deep desire.

Godly Deep Desires

Purpose, to be part of something larger, transcendence
Relationship: to love and be loved, to pursue and be pursued, community, family
Impact, significance
Honor, respect, valued, understood
To protect and provide, to be protected and provided for, security
To come through: duty, to hear “well done”
Beauty and creativity
Justice and freedom
Peace, wholeness, completion, home

To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.