Summary of November 17 Care Group

Cheryl's amazing pumpkin roll started the evening off. We then began to discuss how these messages we've been digesting by Paul Tripp are ones that can bring change in our lives as we respond to God in the midst of life's trials. In his loving way, God uncovers our sin, refines us, all the while bringing love and restoration to us with no condemnation. God disciplines and refines us as we go through the trials that life brings our way. It is an act of his grace that he disciplines us in love as our Father, like Hebrews 12 says. "God disciplines those whom he loves." We can never be punished for our sins because all of that was absorbed by our Savior on the cross. God instructs and corrects us to see to it that we bear fruit for God. Overanalyzing events in our lives to try to always find cause or blame is dangerous. Rather, we should simply trust that God is in control.

Opening ourselves to others in a godly community setting means that we will suffer because we become vulnerable, involved, and concerned for the welfare of others. But we must always remember that He leads us by quiet waters and restores our souls like Psalm 23 says.

We must remember that we are pilgrims passing through this life to our REAL home. Thorns and thistles are on the way but we're headed toward the celestial city, like Christian and Hopeful from Pilgrim's Progress. We can walk through this life with our eyes fixed on our final destination!

Summary of November 3 Care Group

We sang about being a "Debtor to Mercy Alone" and began discussing humility immediately as one of the results of knowing how much we owe to God. This song articulates what a humble person, who knows how much he is in debt to God, thinks and says. We agreed that humility is shown by evidence in a believer's life of thankfulness, joy, willingness to submit to God, and seeing through situations to "put on humility" in difficult moments. Dennis encouraged us to imitate Christ's humility, empty ourselves, and think more highly of others than ourselves. Humility can be defined as depending on God and on His ways, not on our intellect and wisdom. We can be distracted away from the decision to put on humility by other feelings that rise and tempt us to not imitate Christ. It is important to watch out for being humble in outward appearance only, but to truly let God have his way inside as He sanctifies us.

Isaiah was mentioned as one who saw the Lord and responded in contrition and repentance. We want to let God show us his vision in situations, like putting on a pair of glasses, so that we can be useful for His purpose anywhere we are. When we get personally offended, especially by those closest to us, we can hinder God's agenda for those people. He can use us to help others in our "community" deal with their situations in a godly way only when we are "out of His way" and intent on furthering His sanctification, not taking our own revenge.

Tony asked us "How do you respond to constructive correction from our spouses and children?" It made us all think about how we react to having light shone on us potentially exposing our sin and weaknesses.

We read the following scriptures:
Psalm 25: 4-5, 8-9, 12 "Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble his way. Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose."

Psalm 27: 13-14 "I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"