What is SOAP?

SOAP is an acronym for: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. As you prepare for participating in City Group this week, we invite you to write down your thoughts in a journal. Journaling is a great way to record and process your thoughts & what God is sharing with you.

Week of March 15th
Forgiveness - An Act of Release

OVERVIEW

To help us navigate this life of living in true freedom with jesus, we have been exploring over the past weeks; How our frame of view, our choices, our approaches, affect our daily lives, how walking with Christ (eating from the tree of life) helps us to walk in freedom rather than in shame, guilt, and with a victim mindset. We've also explored what it means to understand how God designed us (spirit, soul, body) and how this understanding helps us to live purposefully in spiritual order as He desires for us.

For our time today, let’s look at what prevents us from living in this overflowing and abundant life, to the fullest, in the tree of Life, in Christ Jesus. This is critical to our continued discovery of what it means to walk in Freedom! Scripture says, "What a man thinks in his heart so is he " (Proverbs 23:7) It’s truly powerful to be able to experience God designed freedom in our hearts as our frame of view, our perspectives, our mind sets, our paradigms, and our hearts are being transformed by the Holy Spirit in us. We can experience life to the fullest!

KEY POINTS

  • Bitterness is an 'anger' and 'disappointment' at being treated unfairly; it often looks like resentment. This is one of the four major blockages of the heart that prevents us from living in the freedom from Christ.
  • Bitterness or as PC put it Sunday, this disappointed anger, that has become a resentment, is a direct result of harboring unforgiveness.
  • Bitterness can be likened to drinking poison and hoping the other person you are bitter towards dies.
  • Bitterness is an offence gone wild, like a rabid wolf. It's the bait of the enemy to keep you in bondage, stuck in a perpetual state of emotional bankruptcy
  • Thankfully there is a remedy to our heart blockage of bittnerness. The remedy is forgiveness.
  • Why do we then struggle to forgive? Here are some reasons;
    -We have an incorrect idea or definition of forgiveness
    • Forgiveness is not minimizing the offense
    • Forgiveness is not forgetting what happened
    • Forgiveness is not reconcilliation
    • Forgivess is not a feeling
  • -We don't think it's fair to forgive or "let someone off the hook."
  • -We don't think we can forgive
  • Forgiveness is a choice that can lead our thoughts, our emotions and feelings will follow.

 

SCRIPTURE

As we read aloud through these verses, let's pause, reflect, and listen for what Holy Spirit might be saying to you through the Word of God.

Key scriptures from Sunday. 

  • John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
  • John 8:36 “if the Son sets you free from sin, then become a true son and be unquestionably free!”
  • Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
  • Proverbs 18:19  A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.

Additional Scriptures

  • Romans 12:18  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
  • 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. TPT “My grace is always more than enough for you, and my power finds its full expression through your weakness”, So I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me. 10. So I’m not defeated by my weakness, but delighted! For when I feel my weakness and endure mistreatment-when I’m surrounded with troubles on every side and face persecution because of my love for Christ  I am made stronger. For my weakness becomes a portal to God’s power.

OBSERVATION

Talking through the message during the week helps you turn what God is saying to you into action steps. These talking points, questions, and scriptures are designed to help you take the next step.

Q1. Have I received God’s forgiveness for my past sins? Why might this be importnant to me understnading forgiveness? If I haven't received God's forgiveness, what might be holding me back?

Q2. When was the last time you attempted to have a conversation with an offended individual? What was this experience like? What's it like when you respond to a situation, conversation, or circumstace, with defensiveness?

Q3. Where in your daily living are you be impacted by unforgiveness? How do you think you can give these ares of offense back to God to carry? What might it look like to take that step to forgive?

Q4. Have I had the wrong view of forgiveness and am I currently harbouring offense?

Personal Reflection Question:

In light of all the sin I have been forgiven. What practical steps can I take to release those who have wronged me?

APPLICATION

We've learned about the three steps that are to be taken in order to walk in freedom with Christ. Pray through the scriptures below this week as you engage in taking your 'next steps.'

These 3 steps are;

  • Invite Holy Spirit to
    • show me
    • change me
    • fill me
  • Ezekiel 36:26–27 NIV “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws”.
  • Psalm 139:23–24 NIV “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
  • Psalm 51:10 NIV “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
  • Ephesians 5:18 NIV “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery (Senseless indulgence). Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”
  • Consider how you could love others by serving on a team this Sunday at BeLoved.

PRAYER

Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross and making a way for me to be in relationship with you. Thank you for absorbing my sin and shame. I choose to receive this extravagant gift of life and ask You to come into my heart and be the Lord and leader of my entire life. I give You all of me and ask You to lead my life for your glory. Fill me with Your Spirit, and help me live the life You died to give me. Turn my eyes to you, face to face with you Jesus, I want to be in relationship with you, walk hand in hand with you. Holy Spirit reveal and reconcile these areas in my life where I have selfishness, bitterness, rejection, or evil thoughts that are blocking our hearts from all that you have for us. I surrender these to you, to change in me., fill me with your Spirit, and reveal to me your Truths. In Jesus name… Amen!

GROW WITH US WHAT'S NEXT?
Next Steps

Our heart for you in taking a "Next Step" is to help you grow in becoming more and more like Jesus.

  • Invite. Everyone is only one invitation away from coming to church with you. We are here to reach 1% of our city. Take a step, be bold, bring someone to church with you Sunday.
  • Invest. Investing financially at BeLoved helps us to stay on mission. You can find the best way to give at belovedchurch.ca/give Take a step, start your faithful practice of tithes and offering.
  • Discover. Embark on the journey at belovedchurch.ca/grow Take a step and invest into your discipleship journey at BeLoved.
  • Serve. Jesus came to serve rather than to be served. Love on others like Jesus by jumping on a team and serving on the weekend at BeLoved. Help move God's great Church forward.
  • Get baptized. Congratulations! Take a step to "Go ALL IN for Jesus." Register online at belovedchurch.ca/baptism