Lens of Life

Part One      Part Two      Part Three      Part Four          


Part One

When we surrender ourselves to God, we see life differently. It all changes. We see His authority differently, we see His leading differently, we experience Him differently, we tackle life’s challenges differently, and we look to the future differently. May God open the eyes of our hearts to know Him and His incomparably great power toward those who say, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

Discover

Read Psalm 23:1-6. To help get a good understanding of the passage, try to describe what is happening or being said in your own words. Take a moment to reflect and note down what stands out as important, significant or meaningful to you. What does this passage tell us about God? What does this passage tell us about people? How does this passage change how we live?

Discuss

1. What does it mean for you to surrender control of your life to the Lord?

2. Read John 10:14-15. What does Jesus’ claim – “I am the good shepherd” – say about His relationship with you?

3. Read Psalm 23:3. How does that qualifier “for His name’s sake” change how we see God’s guidance?

4. Read Romans 8:35-39. How has God’s love helped you to see challenges differently?

5. Who has helped you take better notice of God’s daily, abundant goodness?

6. God’s kindness “chases” us. How does this help you to see the future differently?

Respond

Reread the opening words of Psalm 23 each day this week. Let them sink in. Consider writing them out, paraphrasing them or committing them to memory. Your challenge is to live with these words each day. Commit yourself to having eyes that see God’s gracious provisions, even in the ordinary – a warm bed, a wardrobe of clothes, a comfortable pair of shoes, the ability to see, think, and feel. Take a moment each time you notice to say thanks to the Good Shepherd.

 


Part Two

One of the wonderful things about the Bible is its record of real issues and real people. It does not simply tell us about God and give us lessons for life but it records people seeking to engage with God and some of the struggles and failures which they had. As we read through the Psalms we read some of the psalmists’ heartfelt struggles and disappointments. It gives a very honest perspective on life.

Discover

Read Psalm 109:1-5. To help get a good understanding of the passage, try to describe what is happening or being said in your own words. Take a moment to reflect and note down what stands out as important, significant or meaningful to you. What does this passage tell us about God? What does this passage tell us about people? How does this passage change how we live?

Discuss

1. How do you respond when someone does the wrong thing by you? Discuss. (1 Samuel 30:6)

2. How would you describe your conversations with God?

3. Where do you turn when your heart is full of pain? What do you do?

4. What is your “plumb-line” for your attitudes, responses, language, thought life? (Psalm 19:4)

5. When was the last time you fell to your knees before God and were honest with Him about a situation that you were dealing with ?

6. How would you describe your relationship with God as this totally impacts how we speak to Him?

Respond

Take some time to quietly reflect on the things that are concerning you most just now. Bring this situation or person honestly and genuinely before God. Talk to Him about how you feel and ask Him for His intervention and perspective.

 


Part Three

Even when facing his own deep personal failure, David’s resilience and capacity to “get back up” demonstrated that he was truly “a man after God’s own heart.” He looked first to the God he knew as good. Then he confronted and named his sin. He took responsibility for it. His repentance was deep and he sought to be someone who testified to the Lord’s ability to restore hope even in the darkest times.

Discover

Read Psalm 51:1-7. To help get a good understanding of the passage, try to describe what is happening or being said in your own words. Take a moment to reflect and note down what stands out as important, significant or meaningful to you. What does this passage tell us about God? What does this passage tell us about people? How does this passage change how we live?

Discuss

1. When you come to God having done something wrong, do you come to Him certain that He has unfailing love for you, compassion and mercy? How do you think of God when you come to Him in confession? Discuss

2. We all sin, but sometimes we are unaware of our sin. How do we position ourselves to allow God to show us anything that needs to be confessed, exposed and brought before God? Discuss. (1 John 1:9)

3. What is the voice that plays in our head when we sin? How can we recognise the source of that voice? Does that voice drive us to God or drive us from God?

4. How readily do you receive God’s forgiveness? Do past failures or your current circumstances hold you captive? (John 10:10)

5. David decided to take action. He used some “I will” statements, which moved him from a place of failure to a place of victory. Are there some “I will” statements that you need to make this week?

Respond

David’s starting place for recovery is a declaration of the goodness of God and his decision to worship Him. (Psalm 51:10-12) Ask God to show you anything that is hindering your relationship with Him, confess that thing and receive God’s forgiveness and restoration. We can move from being a prisoner to a praiser, from a transgressor to a teacher. Spend some time enjoying the presence of God and worshipping Him.

 


Part Four

The Psalms open up a lens on life that can change our perspective on our circumstances and relationships powerfully. Often when we feel like misfortune hits us or challenges overwhelm us, we can fall into a way of thinking that actually violates some of our deepest values. Psalm 73 chronicles one person’s journey from despair, frustration and toxic thinking towards a perspective that embraced God’s goodness and faithfulness.

Discover

Read Psalm 73:21-28. To help get a good understanding of the passage, try to describe what is happening or being said in your own words. Take a moment to reflect and note down what stands out as important, significant or meaningful to you. What does this passage tell us about God? What does this passage tell us about people? How does this passage change how we live?

Discuss

1. What causes us to lose perspective in a situation? Discuss.

2. How do we gain a fresh perspective in a circumstance? Discuss. (Colossians 3:1-2)

3. Asaph started with one perspective but ended up in a different place. What caused the change? (Psalm 73)

4. What influences your perspective? (Matthew 16:23) Discuss.

5. What are some of the immovable rocks in our lives that we need to remind ourselves of? (Psalm 73:28)

6. How do we get above our circumstances and get a God perspective? (Colossians 3:1-2)

7. Why does God see things differently from us in light of eternity? (Psalm 137:1)

Respond

Take some time together to consider and remember some of the acts of God’s guidance, grace, rescue and faithfulness in the face of obstacles you have faced in your life. What do you learn about God’s nature and character from these moments? How do these things impact the way you face challenges in life right now? Pray for each other that you can face battle, opportunity, difficulty or change with a hope that is fuelled by God’s amazing love.

 



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