LEARNING TO SEE
Kay Warren
May 18-19, 2019
“For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him – and all along he knew who would – should become like his Son . . .” Romans 8:29a (TLB)
“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom . . . And the Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 2 Corinthians 3:17, 18 (NLT)
“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Galatians 5:22a (TLB)
When I am in control of my personality, I will leave damage in my wake. When God is in control of my personality I will leave blessing in my wake.
Action Plan: Kay talked about Sanctification. Go deeper by watching Pastor Tom and Kay teach in depth on the topic of Sanctification. Click here for part 1, and click here for part 2.
- WE ARE
DEFINITION: PLACES WE LACK CLARITY, INSIGHT AND AWARENESS OF OURSELVES AND OUR PATTERNS OF REACTING AND RELATING IN LIFE.
OVER TIME, IF WE KEEP CHOOSING NOT TO SEE, WE WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO SEE.
- WHY DO WE CHOOSE BLINDNESS OVER SIGHT?
- PAIN
- PRIDE
- FEAR
- LAZINESS
- STUBBORNNESS
- TRAUMA
“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:12-14 (NLT)
“Don’t criticize, and then you won’t be criticized. For others will treat you as you treat them. And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own? Should you say, ‘Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see because of the board in your own? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then you can see to help your brother.” Matthew 7:1-5 (NLT)
Action Plan: Try journaling about behaviors/personality traits that you have been told that are not positive. Write about why you feel you choose not to change (as outlined above).
- RESPONSES TO A BLINDSPOT
- Reject it – it’s not true
- Acknowledge it and stop bad behavior
- Acknowledge it and let God root it out
- HOW CAN WE LEARN TO ACCURATELY SEE OURSELVES?
- Accept that I am God’s Beloved
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 (NLT)
- Look at an accurate mirror
“But if anyone keeps looking steadily into God’s law for free men, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says . . .” James 1:25a (TLB)
- Examine my relationships for patterns of behavior
- What am I pretending not to know?
- What am I pretending is not a problem?
- What am I pretending I’ve overcome?
- What do I think I’m good at but others tell me I’m not?
- What is it like on the other side of me?
- Establish a daily practice of humility before God
“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt . . . Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean . . .” Psalm 51:1,2,7 (NLT)
Action Plan: Each day this week, focus on a different one of these points.
- Focus on what it means to accept that you are God’s Beloved (read Beloved Dust to help with this).
- Read James 1 a few times to reflect on what it means to look at an accurate mirror.
- Go through the questions that Kay provides about examining patterns of behavior.
- Pray Psalm 51 throughout the day
Doable Discipleship: This week’s episode of Doable Discipleship features part 2 of an interview with Ken Baugh and Bill Gaultiere on anxiety. New episodes release every Tuesday. To watch or listen, click here.
Talk It Over: Have you ever discussed the weekend message in your small group? Talk It Over provides weekly small group discussion questions as a way to bring the weekend message into your small group. To view this week's Talk It Over, click here.
