dsw godstory - to know god's love

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DSW GodstoryDSW GodstoryTo Know God’s LoveTo Know God’s Love

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We can know a lot about God, and miss the Truth

The Truth is love, and the Truth loves me and you

Knowing more about God cannot reveal the Truth

Are you ready to experience the Truth?

Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

The problem

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The way

Your past holds evidence of God’s presence and love that you have not seen.

The evidence can only be seen through the eyes of your heart. For those who seek, God will give heart sight.

Discovering God’s love in your past tends our souls, and heals our hearts.

To know God is to know God’s love.

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Ephesians 1:17-19

“I keep asking that God ... may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

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The truth

The Truth is that God loves us more that we love God or ourselves.

We think we seek God, but we have been long sought by God. Even our desire to know God is a response to God’s love.

We have been relentlessly hunted by God, all our lives, to be loved..., beloved.

Can you handle this Truth?

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Psalm 139The hound of heaven

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.

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The life

“The glory of God is man fully alive.” St. Iraneus.

“Fully Alive” happens when we

allow God to open the eyes of our heart

discover first-hand our belovedness

become “full to the measure” with God

give away what we have, when we can, where we are, right now, today

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Ephesians 3:17-19

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

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The secret things of god

1 Corinthians 4: 1-4

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful... He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.

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Are we trustworthy and faithful?

Can God trust us to reveal secrets? (not keep them)

Can we handle the truth, even our motives?

Will we be faithful to seek our GodStories?

Will we pass them on to others? Will you?

Will you?

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Forgiveness inside - out

God@work: real, raw & now

Feb 17: Malone Heart Sight editing, “eyes of heart”.

Son Darius with schizophrenia, at visit with psychiatrist. Read text in waiting room with me.

Mentor sends e-mail prayer “open Darius eyes so he will forgive and be set free.”

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Christian psychiatrist? yes.

Dr. Mathews referred by John, author “Be Transformed” - all heart work hinges on forgiveness.

Darius doing the workbook; meets with John Monday

to be continued..., breakthrough expected and likely

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forgiveness outside - in

Feb 19: a barb e-mail from the past, accusing me of unforgiveness; you dumped us!

Horrible incest situation involving God-daughter

Feb 20: Sunday sermon at church on toxic people, and how not to be one

Feb 21 am: disturbed by lack of closure - wrote response and reviewed with my pastor

responsibility was totally on the adults

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Text messages from god

Feb 21 afternoon: Diane (wife) set blog on “letting go”

Feb 22 6:00 am: prayer time decision to “let go!”

7:00 am: UR Disciplines commentary and scripture spoke directly to my heart -

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it is very personal!

Isaiah 49:15-16

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has

borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget

you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of

my hands

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Letting go

Feb 22 9:00 am I called - no warning!

Thanks - my 68th birthday

I have forgiven, but am sure all responsibility is on the adults, none on the children. HARD position.

With peace and truth, she told me what God had done in her life and Sam’s. They are responsible.

Sam’s prison message last weekend

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So this is what happens when you ...

LET GO!

Feb 24: UR Disciplines scripture Psalm 131

Psalm 130 (same page) Georgia’s psalm note written years ago

I told Darius this story about forgiveness

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Georgia’s psalm 130

3 If you, LORD, kept a record of sins,    Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness,    so that we can, with reverence, serve you. 5 I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,    and in his word I put my hope.  7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD,    for with the LORD is unfailing love   and with him is full redemption.

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SO LET’S GO!

Pair up. Pray up.

10 min quiet with God

Ask God for some Moments to be recalled;

People, places, events and crises (adjustments)

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Take 10 minutes

MOMENTS

people

places

events

crises

write down words

connect dots

mark places to return

let God reveal

be expectant

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Tell what you see 5 min each

sketch it

who, where, what?

crisis or challenge?

where do you “suspect” God?

Where do you see God?

what places will you need to revisit with God for more heart sight?

to be continued...

God@work!

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40 day godstory quest

First draft (beta) will be available soon.

Some may wish to use for Lent.

The 40 day journal will be available electronically for those who want it. (complimentary)

We need your feedback.

May God bless your quest!