There were two times in David’s life when he was forced to escape from Jerusalem into the wilderness. The first was before he was king when Saul became jealous of him and decided to kill him. (1 Samuel 11-21).
The second time this happened was later in his life after having been king for about thirty years. His son, Absalom revolted declaring himself king, forming an army to try to kill him. (2 Samuel 15)
Psalms 42:3-11 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”…5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God…8 By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life…11 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. NIV
God’s design is for us to be like trees planted by streams of living water, where the very nature of Christ is actually emerging as we surrender to Him.
There were two times in David’s life when he was forced to escape from Jerusalem into the wilderness. The first was before he was king when Saul became jealous of him and decided to kill him. (1 Samuel 11-21).
The second time this happened was later in his life after having been king for about thirty years. His son, Absalom revolted declaring himself king, forming an army to try to kill him. (2 Samuel 15)
Psalms, chapters 46-60 focus on finding refuge, forgiveness and restoration in times of turmoil, which is sometimes self-induced. This is where we find David as he writes Psalms 51.
This Psalm was written by David when the Prophet Nathan came to him after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. He then murdered her husband, Uriah, to cover it up. 2 Samuel 11
Somehow David, in his sin, did all this damage and was just moving forward taking Bathsheba as his wife. Nathan comes to him and addresses these issues. Suddenly David repents.
It wasn’t that David couldn’t see his sin. He simply couldn’t see it alone. We need each other! Once a trusted friend came to David, he was able to see the terrible sins he’d committed.
Psalms 51:1-4 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I am conscious of my transgressions, and I acknowledge them; My sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned And done that which is evil in Your sight... (AMP)
We really need to understand that sin is wrong, sin is bad, sin is damaging and ultimately sin is destructive. First we must all understand that everyone needs to repent and be saved from the sin of Adam. You don’t have to do anything to get your daddy’s last name who got his last name from his daddy and so on.
Adam is your great, great, great, great…grandfather. Not only do you carry his name but you also carry his nature until you die in Christ.
This is where many Christians miss it. Only death is powerful enough to conquer your sin. Death! Not determination, not discipline, not denial. Only death. “I’m going to change my attitude”, “I’m going to speak better to my wife and kids”, “I’m going to start doing or stop doing…” How many times have we been determined to discipline ourselves or deny ourselves only to fail another time.
Freedom isn’t found in our determination. Freedom is found in our death in Christ. Jesus gives the church only two ordinances: communion and baptism. Both remind us over and over again our life is found in His death.
A conscience that is burdened with the guilt and shame of sin leaves you in a state of turmoil and impacts others more than you realize. We find this in Psalms 51 as well.
Psalms 51:5 I was brought forth in wickedness; In sin my mother conceived me. (AMP)
This verse makes room for theological speculation about David being an illegitimate child of Jesse. It’s interesting that the day David was anointed to be King, he was out in the field tending the sheep. He hadn’t even been invited with all of his brothers to welcome the Prophet Samuel into town. This was a huge event taking place! Perhaps only the “legitimate sons” of Jesse were there for Samuel to select from as Israel’s King. Surely not David!
Last week I heard the testimony of Brittni who, at the age of 18, became a stripper. After quickly becoming well known in this field she was invited to begin making adult movies. She became a porn star in more than 300 adult films over a ten-year period. She described making more money than she’d ever imagined. But her burdened conscience was so tormenting she spent all that money using drugs. She was searching for relief from all the guilt and shame she felt until she met Jesus truly finding freedom.
When you buy what the world is selling in any area of your life, it will always take you further than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay and keep you longer than you want to stay.
If the Bible says something is wrong, it doesn’t matter how you feel about it. You can put sand in a gas tank for a little while before seeing the damage it has done. You may believe you’re getting away with it but problems are in the works in ways beyond your wildest imagination. Only when we turn to face God’s grace can we find restoration and relief as David did.
Psalms 51:10-13 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted and return to You. (AMP)
I love this because God is restoring his joy as he uses his past as a weapon against the enemy. The very thing the enemy used against David was now in the hands of God as a weapon teaching others about grace and freedom from the devil’s kingdom of accusation, guilt and shame.
The porn star who came to Christ not only became a Christian. She married another Christian and together they now lead a church in San Diego helping others find their way.
It’s sometimes difficult to compute that God can use our complicated past. When you use a calculator and add the wrong value or hit the wrong button it messes up the result. There is this button that clears all mistakes and makes the screen brand new. Even when we have deeply complicated circumstances God is there to clear all our mistakes and help us start anew.
Jesus died to clear your record and cleanse your conscience.
Acts 3:19-20 So repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day].... (AMP)
GP2RL: Make room to sit with God asking him to show you things in your heart he wants to address. Tell a trusted friend.
PSALMS: Create In Me A Clean Heart
DISCUSSION GUIDE
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Psalms unveils the authenticity of humanity in the, sometimes painful, but always beautiful pursuit of God. The beauty is that God never wastes a single hurt if we are willing to give it to Him.
We can judge God according to our circumstances or we can judge our circumstances according to our God. God is good even in our times of pain and desperation. We live in a fallen world, but we look to a Risen King.
Two thirds of the Psalms are what scholars call lament. So often, our greatest purpose is born from our deepest pain. May we press in and go deeper in our authentic pursuit of the heart of God as we explore the treasures of Psalms.
It is a good thing to hear what God is revealing in the hearts of those around us. Feel free to use this question however you feel it fits in your time together as a group.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
David is writing Psalms 51 repenting for sinning against God by having adultery with Bathsheba and killing her husband, Uriah, to cover it up.
Psalms 51:1-4 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I am conscious of my transgressions, and I acknowledge them; My sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned And done that which is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when you speak And faultless in Your judgment. (AMP)
2. What stands out to you about these verses?
3. What would you say are consequences of our unwillingness to repent for sin?
Psalms 51:10-13 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted and return to You. (AMP)
4. What stands out to you about these verses?
5. Part of the joy of God restoring our lives is the power of our story and how our mistakes can be used to help others on their journey. Can you think of a time someone shared their mistake and it helped you personally? Please explain if so.
May we have the courage to admit our mistakes before God to be restored and the willingness to share our mistakes as ministry to others.
Everywhere we go, we bring...
GP2RL: Make room to sit with God asking Him to show you things in your heart He wants you to see.
Psalms 42:3-11 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”…5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God…8 By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life…11 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. NIV
St. Athanasius famously said: “Most of Scripture speaks to us; the Psalms speak for us.”
We are all on a journey just trying to find our way and on that journey, there are a lot of ups and downs.
John Calvin said, “Any emotion a human being has ever felt can be found in the Psalms.”
Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. AMP
We live in this space where two realms are colliding as the flesh and the spirit battle against each other.
Psalms 1:4 The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so, But they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away. AMP
The paths of the righteous and the unrighteous both have connection (relationships), direction (pathway) and a destination. You have a choice, and your decisions determine your destiny.
Psalms engages the whole person. They engage with our minds through instruction and understanding, sharing deep truths about who God is. They engage with our bodies through movement and expression (e.g. kneeling, lying prostrate, raising hands, walking, speaking, listening), inviting us to love God with all our strength. They engage with our souls, connecting with our emotions. They engage with our imaginations, calling us to picture or visualize what God is like and what life in the kingdom can be. They engage with our relationships, both with God and one another as we speak to, with, for, and about him.
I’m convinced that one of the reasons so many people find prayer boring is they don’t really pray, they perform! They hold back from God all the ugly stuff.
But prayer isn’t a place to be good, it’s a place to be real.
Two-thirds of the Psalms are what scholars call lament!
Lament is different than complaining. Complaining is just griping about your life, and just makes a bad problem worse. Lament is bearing your soul to God going down into your pain, but then offering it up to God.
It takes practice to keep God in the forefront of our minds as we face various circumstances of this life.
About 3 centuries after Christ men and women known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers went out into the Egyptian desert to pray and meditate on God’s Word. This was after the years of intense persecution when many Christians were martyred. These monks and nuns were separating themselves from the worldliness in the church, which was increasingly adapting to and being accepted by Roman culture.
The Desert Fathers and Mothers lived in cells or huts made of reeds and practiced rigorous spiritual disciplines like silence, solitude, simplicity, fasting, penance, and obedience to an elder. Their “internal martyrdom” purged their souls of sin and worldliness and led them into lives of intimacy with the Lord and ministry to others. Their testimony to the transforming life of Christ was so powerful that thousands of people traveled to visit them in the desert to receive spiritual direction or healing.
One of the beautiful things that emerged from the disciplined life of the Desert Fathers and Mothers was their practice of Breath Prayers. They contemplated Christ’s presence in quiet solitude, meditating on short, one breath prayers. Often, they did this while sitting outside their cells and weaving baskets from reeds.
They breathed in God’s Word slowly and deeply. Gently, they repeated their prayer, over and over, letting it descend with their minds into their hearts, to form their will in the image of Christ. They would breathe their prayer before going to sleep at night until it prayed itself within their souls while they slept. Then when they awoke in the morning the prayer was still on their lips!
Prayer is relaxing into God's goodness as you practice abiding in Him.
I’d like to encourage you to begin exploring these breath prayers as a way to more habitually meditate on God’s Word day and night.
Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. AMP
GP2RL: Read two chapters a day in Psalms. As you read pause to give voice to the emotions you identify with in prayer before the Lord.
Planted by Streams of Water
DISCUSSION GUIDE
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Psalms unveils the authenticity of humanity in the, sometimes painful, but always beautiful pursuit of God. The beauty is that God never wastes a single hurt if we are willing to give it to Him.
We can judge God according to our circumstances or we can judge our circumstances according to our God. God is good even in our times of pain and desperation. We live in a fallen world, but we look to a Risen King.
Two thirds of the Psalms are what scholars call lament. So often, our greatest purpose is born from our deepest pain. May we press in and go deeper in our authentic pursuit of the heart of God as we explore the treasures of Psalms.
It is a good thing to hear what God is revealing in the hearts of those around us. Feel free to use this question however you feel it fits in your time together as a group.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: to help develop a context for a greater understanding of the verses for today. Psalms opens with beautiful imagery of God’s people being like fruitful trees planted by streams of water.
2. Share an example of a season when you felt like you were thriving spiritually and what you believe were key contributors to that season.
3. The various themes found throughout the Book of Psalms are praise, thanksgiving, lament, trust, and wisdom. Which themes resonate with you the most, and why?
Psalm 1:1-4 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. 4 The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so, But they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away. AMP
4. What stands out to you about these verses?
5. What are some practical steps we can take to align ourselves with the principles out lined in Psalm 1 and experience spiritual fruitfulness?
6. How will you be intentional about our action point this week?
Everywhere we go, we bring...
GP2RL: Read two chapters a day in Psalms. As you read pause to give voice to the emotions you identify with in prayer before the Lord.
Nobody can grow spiritually for you. This is your personal responsibility before the Lord. Those leading and teaching in church are called to equip you to be able to explore the pursuit of spiritual maturity. It is easier to gather and grow, but growing a crowd isn’t the same as maturing the church.
2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. ESV
Luke 6:6-11 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. nd the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. ESV
GP2RL: Create a plan to engage in a few different practices paying attention to how God is meeting you in each!
Consistently submitting to God’s desires is such an interesting part of the central ideas that shape who we are as a church family. In our pursuit to become all God desires for us to become we are discovering that God is doing a deep work within us. This has become our prayer for each other:
Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. NLT
Don’t just try to be a loving expression of Christ to your world. Train to be a loving expression of Christ to your world. We are learning how to convert principles into practices as we look to the lifestyle of Jesus as the goal for our lives.
The two practices that are connected to this idea of consistently submitting to God’s desires involve solitude and community. Solitude is where we simply purpose to be alone with God and free from all other sources of input.
If I’m in the constant presence of people, I am overstimulated and underdeveloped. Solitude awakens the non-anxious disposition to love others well.
Community involves a deeper connection with God as you connect with others focusing on spiritual growth. This releases something powerful within you that you cannot discover alone.
This idea of pairing the practices of solitude and community is a little like breathing in and breathing out. Jesus modeled a healthy balance for us to put into practice ourselves. Don’t just always be giving out to others. You not only have permission to take care of yourself it is essential! Any flight you ever take will remind you that you must put your oxygen mask on first before helping others or you’ll slip into unconsciousness yourself.
The practices of look different in every stage and season of your life but do whatever it takes to discover a healthy rhythm of these breath-like life-sustaining behaviors no matter what season of life you’re in!
There is a strong relationship in the life of Jesus between his devotion to solitude and his connection to power
Luke 4:1 Now Jesus, full of [and in perfect communication with] the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. AMP
Jesus modeled purposeful solitude that produced powerful community.
Luke 5:15 But the news about Him was spreading farther, and large crowds kept gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their illnesses. AMP
Everyone everywhere was screaming for his attention. What did Jesus do?
Luke 5:16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion]. AMP
In our day, it is completely possible to banish solitude altogether. Even when we are alone, we don’t have to be alone and this robs us of this beautiful practice of solitude.
The Father won’t compete with your busy, noisy life. He’s patiently waiting in the quiet for your attention.
Luke 4:1 Now Jesus, full of [and in perfect communication with] the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. AMP
Mark 1:28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere throughout the district surrounding Galilee. AMP
Mark 1:35-37 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon [Peter] and his companions searched [everywhere, looking anxiously] for Him, 37 and they found Him and said, “Everybody is looking for You!” AMP
The more we interact with strangers, the more we present ourselves, rather than being authentically known and at rest with who we are. This is why true community is so vital in your life.
You can be with people, but not actually in community if you never move beyond surface relationships where you know and are known.
The practices we see modeled in the life of Jesus are the practices we should embrace in our own lives today. In doing so we find ourselves on a similar journey of training to become more like Him. This is our mandate in Scripture and the results are clearly revealed.
1 John 2:6 Anyone who claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. NIV
2 Corinthians 13:14 …may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. NIV
We were designed by God to be in deep fellowship with God and in deep fellowship with God’s family. It is so interesting that the number one thing people love to hear in every nation of the world is, “I love you.” We were designed by God to first and foremost know his love. The second more common phrase people love to hear is, “You’re forgiven.” We are designed by God to live our lives with a clear conscience.
What really fascinated me about this study I read about the most common phrases people love to hear is the third phrase, “Let’s eat!” For God so loved the world (I love you) that he sent his only Son Jesus to forgive us (you’re forgiven). Then in Revelation 3:20 we read, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” NIV
I love you. You’re forgiven. Let’s eat! What a beautiful expression of God’s loving ways in our lives.
GP2RL: Explore purposeful solitude this week and engage in authentic community.
Consistently Submitting Practices
DISCUSSION GUIDE
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Every year we devote the first 40 days to focusing on foundational truths that speak to our identity, as a church family. We are OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same.
2 Peter 1:12-15 endorses the idea of rehearsing foundational things with the intention of leaving them firmly planted in the heart of the next generation.
As we journey through 2024 year together our desire is to become more spiritually AWAKE and more fully ENGAGED in the practices we see modeled in the life of Christ. As we are awakened to the principles of God’s Kingdom, we must choose to become more engaged in the practices. Our practices reveal our priorities.
It is God’s plan for us to develop the rhythm of drawing close to His heart and hearing His voice together as a spiritual family. This explains the first question we start with in our groups:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: to help develop a context for a greater understanding of the verses for today.
2. What does solitude mean to you, and can you share a positive experience from practicing solitude in your life?
3. What does community mean to you, and what has been a positive experience from be ing involved in meaningful community?
Mark 1:28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere throughout the district surrounding Galilee. AMP
Mark 1:35-37 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon [Peter] and his companions searched [everywhere, looking anxiously] for Him, 37 and they found Him and said, “Everybody is looking for You!” AMP
Luke 5:15-16 But the news about Him was spreading farther, and large crowds kept gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their illnesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion]. AMP
4. What stands out to you about these verses and what are your observations about the way Jesus modeled solitude and community.
5. How specifically will you purpose to practice solitude and community this week?
Everywhere we go, we bring...
GP2RL: Explore the idea of true solitude this week and engage in authentic community.
