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Discerning Grace
Discerning Grace episodes
- Lent 2023 - Week 1
Welcome to the series on Lent. Today is Ash Wednesday and the start of the 40 days of Lent culminating with Easter Sunday. Come walk with us as we look at how we can prepare ourselves for this holy time. We will start with what some of us remember of childhood Easter time - giving something up. What does that mean for us today?
11 min - Discerning Life
Join as I enter Holy Week and look at a Discerning Life and a preference for God. How do we do that and what does a “preference for God” mean? Listen as I share what I have learned from the book titled “A Discerning Life” and begin to notice where God might be encouraging you look, notice, and connect with God.
Ponderings:
- Looking back on this Lent, how has it been different than other years?
- Can you notice where God was trying to grab your attention today?
- Is your life too busy or time so budgeted you don’t get time to feel the Spirit’s presence in everyday activities?
- What does “savor the sorrow” mean to you?
Click for this weeks transcript
11 min - Lent Week 1 2022
Many songs have been written about the cross of Christ. How can we sit with a song and take a moment to accept the emotions of the words? How can life, death, and resurrection mingle together? Reflecting on the death of her father, Flannery O’Connor wrote in her journal, “The reality of death has come upon us and a consciousness of the power of God has broken our complacency like a bullet in the side. The cross brings up many visual images for us. I wonder what you see when you visualize the cross.
Ponderings:
- What do you see when you think about the cross of Christ?
- When you listened to the song ”When I Survey the Wonderous Cross” what did you notice?
- I wonder how Jesus would respond to me if I sang this song to him.
- What can I pick up from today’s chat to carry with me this Lenten season?
Click for this weeks transcript
10 min - Confession - Week 3
This is the third and last talk on Confession in the greater series of Spiritual Disciplines. The discussion is focused on the reasons it is considered a “Corporate” discipline, one done in community. How comfortable are you with a public confession? When you are with a group that participates in a read confession, I think it suddenly levels the playing field. Yes, we are all sinners, yet God calls us Saints and His own children, what a powerful thing.
Ponderings:
- How might confession, admitting your faults or mistakes to another, change your life? Actions, character?
- Would this help you grow in humility? In courage? Compassion for others?
- When was the last time you admitted, “you’re right, I am wrong”?
- What do you believe about God?
- What changes need to be made so you can comfortably confess without the feeling of self-shaming?
Click for this weeks transcript
This weeks post on discerninggrace.com
10 min - Confession - Week 2
Today is our 2nd chat on Confession. Building on the first chat, I will look at why your view of God affects your belief in forgiveness and your desire to confess. Then, I will lead us into a general confession of sin.
Ponderings:
- Am I ever hesitant to ask God for forgiveness?
- Do you ever get tired of confessing your wrongs?
- Is there any physical or emotional change after confession?
- How might I work forgiveness into my daily life?
Click here for this weeks transcript
Click here for the rest of the series
11 min - Confession - Week 1
This week I will begin a new Spiritual Discipline, one that is the least talked about, and if we do it is in secret. I certainly didn’t think of it as a “discipline” something to practice as a young Christian. Come along as we learn together how much freedom and joy can be found in confession.
Ponderings:
- What are your thoughts and practices in relation to Confession?
- Do you find yourself on either extreme as discussed in the chat?
- What if confession truly could bring your soul freedom?
- When you think about confession, what is the largest obstacle for you?
Click here for the transcript
12 min - Worship Week 3
This is the last chat on Worship. A quote from C.S. .Lewis sums up the concept shared in this chat, “All enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise….We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; …the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.” Let’s apply this to praise and worship.
Ponder
- What does it feel like to be moved toward Worship?
- For you, what is the most important part of worship?
- Think about how you would explain worship to someone else.
- Is worship something you do?
- I wonder how you could stretch yourself in regards to worship?
Click here for this weeks transcript
9 min - Worship - Week 2
This is week two in the Spiritual Exercise of Worship. Worship is a corporate Spiritual Discipline in that we are called to worship together. To Join our souls with the Spirit of God and together with one voice recognize our universal need for the Almighty. One aspect of this need is understanding it is a personal shift from doing something to ‘being’ and longing to rest under the shelter of His wings.
Ponderings:
- Take some time to think about where you are in regard to the spiritual discipline of Worship.
- Are you able to move from the check off list, “I went to service”?
- Where else might you “worship”, if not in church?
- What is your definition of “worship”?
- When was the last time you “longed” for something or someone?
Click for this weeks transcript
11 min - New Year 2022
As we look into 2022 what does the Creator, Designer, Master want for your life? What voices are you listening to? I I don’t think He is asking us to make a list of New Year Resolutions, like many do. Like : get fit, loss weight, spend less, get out of debt, find love, - the list goes on. However, I wonder if God might be asking you something else? Have you asked Him lately?
Ponderings:
- What do I think God is calling me to this year?
- Am I ready to open myself up to Christ?
- I wonder how my life might be different if I asked God to lead and I would follow.
- What is your biggest fear in this new year?
- Do you have any heart desires that you think God has planted in you for 2022?
Click here for this weeks transcript
12 min - Epiphany 2022
The season of Christmas and the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child is not over. Today we celebrate Epiphany. Historically this is the day the Magi visited Jesus. The fullness of this day is for us as followers of Jesus to embrace Jesus as the gift from the Father to all of us. We recognize Jesus as the Son of God, fully man and fully God. Come listen and be encouraged.
Ponderings
- Can I truly accept the possibility that God could speak to me in a dream?
- How would I deal with social ridicule after a choice I prayerfully made?
- In what ways can I identify with this “manger scene” family?
- If you put yourself in the Christmas story, who would you be? Why?
11 min
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Short practices to support your Spiritual Journey. Come join us at discerninggrace.com for more information and resources.