God is preparing our church for a significant move of his Spirit, and it will be revealed by people having a greater hunger and thirst after God and his Spirit over anything else this world has to offer. One of the ways that keeps true hunger for God happening is our relationship with those that are in our group or church.
Just like last week, we will be going through Psalm 51 to help us process together what true repentance looks like as it relates to God, to fellow believers, and to the people around us. This week we will work through the “OUT” dimension as it relates to God.
There are two categories of sin: Sins of commission and sins of Omission:
- Sins of commission: Things that you SHOULD NOT do but do anyway.
- Sins of omission: Things that you SHOULD DO but don’t do.
Open your Bibles or devices to Psalm 51. Read through the entire passage.
Read through the list below together of OUTward-oriented questions.
What are the questions that God might be leading you to? What is getting your attention? Ask God to search your heart to see if there is something that He wants to show you?
OUT: Love for those in the World
- Am I grieved over the destiny of the lost and do I hurt for them?
- Do I share my faith with outsiders by both lifestyle AND words?
- Do I fear God or man when it comes to sharing the gospel (am I ashamed)?
- Am I judgmental or compassionate toward people who live in rebellion against God?
- Am I trying to bring God’s kingdom to earth holistically (physical healing, spiritual healing, etc.)
- Am I willing to take risks for God in my job, family, and friends for the gospel?
- Do I have relationships with those outside of faith, and do I open my life and home to them?
- In lieu of the election, does my attitude and speech reflect Jesus when it comes to people who have different worldviews than I do?
Q: Has God given you some specific people of peace that you have yet to pursue because of a “Jonah attitude?”
Spend several minutes in silent prayer acknowledging that The Holy Spirit is present and ready to work. Go through this process as a group identifying, discussing, and confessing to each other.
- Define the sin
- “Lord, I am bitter towards……”
- “Lord, I have been holding a grudge against….”
- Lord, I have been neglecting real community because…..”
- Lord, I have had negative thoughts and interactions with those I consider to be different than me…..”
- Appeal to God’s mercy (v.1) Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love.
- Don’t be defensive (v.4) against you, and only you, have I sinned…
- Look to Jesus’ Work for you! (v.7) cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean…
- Feel the brokenness of this sin and ask God to heal you (v.8) let my crushed bones be healed!
- Allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you (v.11) The grief you’re experiencing is a sign that the Holy Spirit is working in you!
- Declare truth and celebrate His goodness (v. 12-15)
- Resolve to believe and obey!
- Carry out a plan and be accountable to the group or to someone else!
Just like last week, as a closing to your practice of repentance and prayer. It’s a powerful statement to remind each other that we are forgiven! One of the enemy’s strategies is to make us believe that some of our sins have not yet been forgiven. He does this to keep control over our lives. However, when we confess with confidence that all of our sins have been forgiven by the blood of Jesus, we experience victory. Right now, proclaim that by the blood of Jesus, all of your sins have been forgiven.
Say to each other: “You are forgiven by the blood of Jesus! “
