Tuesday February 1

Psalm 107: 10-16

Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,

prisoners suffering in iron chains,

for they had rebelled against the words of God

and despised the counsel of the Morst High.

So he subjected them to bitter labor;

they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

They they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom

and broke away their chains.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for men,

for he breaks down gates of bronze

and cuts through bars of iron.

Think back on a time of darkness in your life. Depression. Rejection. Loss. When nothing was going your way. When you had no one to blame but yourself. Or maybe you had everyone else to blame for the state you were in. Either way, you were there. You were there in the deepest gloom. Maybe you are there now. But think back for me, think back to another time. How did God get you out? How did it happen? Think. Think hard. It was his unfailing love wasn't it. He showed it to you. How did he show it to you? Think. Remember.

Thank him. He broke away your chains. He will do it again, my friend. Remember the way back. It is through his love. Ask. Seek. You will find it. He will find you. Your chains will be broken. In Jesus name.

Monday January 31

This week I want to introduce you to one of my favorite Psalms. 107. On Friday, when I mentioned that I had been living Psalm 23, this psalm came to mind. I have lived every part of this one over the years. I thought I'd give it to you in bite sizes this week. Who knows? Maybe you will find yourself in it as well.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say this-

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south.

Some wandered in desert wastelands,

finding no way to a city where they could settle.

They were hungry and thirsty,

and their lives ebbed away.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

He led them by a straight way

to a city where they could settle.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for men,

for he satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

verses 1-9

Where have you wandered? Think about a time in your journey when you were truly lost. Remember how hungry you were, and you ate and ate but nothing seemed to satisfy your hungry. It just made you sick. And you were thirsty, so thirsty, remember that? Remember you could find anything to take that thirst away. Remember? Remember that first drink of Jesus? Remember how good it tasted. Remember how good he was to you, how grateful you were to him that he found you in the desert wasteland. He didn't ask you why you were there. He didn't accuse you. He found you. He gave you good things to eat. And he brought you out of the wasteland to a city. His city.

Maybe you feel like you are in the wasteland now. That's good to. Because there you are, right in the word of God. He has not forgotten you. You are right in the palm of his hand. And he is ready and waiting to satisfy you right now with good things to eat and the living water of life so you will not have to thirst anymore.

Friday January 28

Last Friday I met with Fil Anderson, the guy I quoted yesterday. I caught him up on life. He said, have you read Psalm 23 lately?

I said, as a matter of fact, I have been saying the first line of that Psalm every day for several weeks now. The Message: O God, my Shepherd, I don't need a thing. Over and over again.

He said, read on. It seems to me your living this psalm. I did. I am. It's got me thinking about you. What Psalm are you living?

Take some time over the weekend. See where you find yourself.

Thursday January 27

Until the unlimited, unbridled and unrelenting love of God takes root in our life, until God's reckless pursuit of us captures our imagination, until our head knowledge of God settles into our heart through pure grace, nothing really changes.

Fil Anderson - Breaking the Rules

Wednesday January 25

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."

John 6:53

I'm so fired up about yesterday's nugget. I want to think about it for another day. Here it is so you don't have to scroll:

This year, my New Years revolution (that's what I'm calling it) is to learn Spanish. I recently learned that the word for bread in Spanish is "pan". I've been thinking about that lately...PAN...the root word means ALL. It's like when we eat the bread, we are taking in ALL of Jesus. ALL his forgiveness. ALL is love. ALL of peace, joy, mercy, and comfort...ALL of him...

Wa-hoo...Praise the Lord.

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."

John 6:53

This year, my New Years revolution (that's what I'm calling it) is to learn Spanish. I recently learned that the word for bread in Spanish is "pan". I've been thinking about that lately...PAN...the root word means ALL. It's like when we eat the bread, we are taking in ALL of Jesus. ALL his forgiveness. ALL is love. ALL of peace, joy, mercy, and comfort...ALL of him...

Monday January 24

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."

John 6:53

Is this really "the truth"? Am I really not alive (in other words, dead) if I don't take into me the deepest part of him?

It seems to me that Jesus is identifying himself here. Here is life. He is life. Anything, everything else is dead.

Jesus is the only thing on the menu at God's Diner.

Friday January 21

How much of Jesus does he want to give you? How about this for his answer:

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him."

John 6:53-56

Thursday January 20

"Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper will be glad together. Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

John 4:35-38

This morning, I spent some time thinking over the sowers in my life. I thought about my parents, all the sacrifices they made, all the countless ways they poured love into me. I thought about my teachers, those I loved, those I hated - they all worked so hard to make me a better person. I thought about the mentors I have been blessed with over the years. I thought about the books that have meant so much to me. I thought about movie and television characters that have molded my personality. I thought about friends. Then, I started thinking about all the folks who sowed into all these people. And all the folks who sowed into the sowers. And right on down the line until I eventually got to Jesus...the Great Sower. I thanked him for him. I also thanked him for the sowers. I realized everything I "reap" in life is really just the fruit of what they have sown. I prayed for harvest. I prayed it for all of them. And I prayed that I would be a good sower to my children, my wife, my friends, my friends and acquaintances, my city, my country, my world. It was pretty cool.

Wednesday January 19

So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.

They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

John 4:40-42

Don't knock it until you try it. See for yourself. Don't take somebody else's word for it.

You might not guess that these phrases are right up the gospel alley, but they are. Jesus wants you to have a personal encounter with him. He doesn't want you to have to rely on someone else's experience. It's true: the belief that these Samaritans had upon the woman's testimony was real and genuine. The fact that once they heard for themselves their prior belief paled in comparison doesn't negate the first belief. It just doesn't compare to it.

In other words, you may be a believer now because of what you read or what you heard. That can be real belief. But if you want to take your faith to the next level, make it personal with Jesus. Take him at his word. And see for yourself what he is all about.

Tuesday January 18

"Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did."

John 4:39

When I picture someone telling me everything I ever did, I sort of cringe. I feel exposed, embarrassed, harassed just thinking about it. The last thing I can imagine ever doing is telling other people about it. But that is precisely what this woman did.

It makes me wonder how Jesus really was. There was something about him. He could say the most difficult things (like you have had five husbands and you are currently sleeping with someone else entirely) and have it come across in love. There is no doubt that this woman by the well felt the love of God. Not only did it change her, but it affected her to the extent that she felt compelled to tell everyone else about it.

It has been pointed out to me that this woman went to get water in the heat of the day (v. 6) because she was trying to avoid others. Being so promiscuous, it would only make sense that other women would disdain her. This woman by her sinful behavior was winning no popularity contests in this village. And yet, after meeting Jesus she tells everyone she meets about him. It's a total personality transformation - from worthless to worthy...

That's what being known can do. That's what Jesus offers you and me. Are you ready to be exposed?

Monday January 17

"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the pace where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem...when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks."

John 4:19-23

One of the great revelations of Jesus to the world is that his Father can be worshiped anywhere. Today, find some place you have never worshiped before, go there, and worship in celebration for the God that cannot be contained.

Friday January 14

The final portion of Liturgy of Confession by David Powlison. Back to the Bible on Monday.

We have concentrated our attention on finding the words to say as you seek the God who gives generously. Let me close by simply naming three other things that further contribute to the process.

First, you are not alone. The Bible says, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another” (James 5:16). This liturgy has personalized words that each of us and all of us can say and mean. When we are honest, each of us “knows the affliction of his own heart” (1 Kings 8:38f). We are in this struggle together. Each of us and all of usalso share in God’s great gift of mercies, in which the Holy Spirit unites us as the body of Christ. Like the Lord’s Prayer, the General Confession that I adapted is intentionally

plural – “we have erred and strayed like lost sheep….” Faith is viral as well as verbal, caught as well as taught, corporate as well as individual. Seek out the shepherds into whose care God has placed you. Seek out wise, honest people who can help to bear your burden, who will pray with you, for you, beside you.

Second, partake of Christ’s feast of mercy: the Lord’s Supper, the Holy Communion, the Eucharist, the Great Thanksgiving. God intends that the bread and wine make real to our senses the willing self-sacrifice and shed blood of the Lamb. This…really… happened…. God’s promises are not just nice-sounding words. Mercy came in person and took action on your behalf. When it comes to guilt, shame and regret, it is so

easy to bog down in an inner morass of confusion and misery. But the gifts of God for the people of God take you by the hand. They speak and taste of mercies much more real than your inner psychological experience.

Finally, give thanks to God. My goal throughout has been to give you a liturgy of confession that will lead you to the grace of God. But you will be well-served to also personalize your thankfulness. As a guide, here is how the General Thanksgiving words it (adapted from The Book of Common Prayer):

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,

we, your unworthy servants, do give you most humble and hearty thanks for all

your goodness and lovingkindness to us, and to all men.

We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life;

but above all, for your inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our

Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we beseech you, give us that due sense of all your mercies, that our hearts

may be unfeignedly thankful;

and that we show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by

giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and

righteousness all our days;

through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all

honor and glory, world without end.

Amen.

Two starter thoughts. First, notice that there is an “all” in every section. To live in the light of those alls is to become sane and joyous. Second, “Amen” means, “I believe this with all my heart. This is true. I affirm this, and here I stand.” Gratitude runs deeper than misery, because grace runs deeper than sin.

Make all this your own, because almighty God has made you his own.

* * *

David Powlison, M.Div., Ph.D. David is a counselor and faculty member at CCEF and has been the editor

of The Journal of Biblical Counseling. He holds a Ph.D. in History of Science and Medicine from the

University of Pennsylvania, as well as a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological

Seminary. David has been counseling for over thirty years and has written many books and articles on

biblical counseling and the relationship between faith and psychology.

Thursday January 13

So think now: how might God’s love transform you? He is at work to make you treat other people in the very the ways he treats you. Imagine – never abandoning another person, bringing blessing and grace to others, patient, forgiving, generous, self-sacrificing, considering the interest of others…. That is a life worth living, and a life that brings life to others! How does heartfelt gratitude for God’s forgiveness change you, so

that you become forgiving? How might your life become different by his power? Ask him for this. Ask him every day.

As you pray, remember that God promises mercy when you confess your sins. He does not desire the death of a sinner. God desires that you turn to him and then, in the words of the liturgy that follow the Confession,

He pardons and absolves all those who truly repent.

To ‘pardon’ means to truly forgive. To ‘absolve’ means to release you, to set you free. To ‘repent’ simply means to turn to God. He says, “If you seek me, you will find me.” He makes you free and forgiven. Life, not death, gets last say. The misery of guilt recedes. The gladness of gratitude takes hold. Embarrassment and shame give way to courage and openness. The sense that you have been given a most wonderful gift in what God has done for you replaces the sense that you have been a failure by what you have done.

Come to God. Imagine that you are holding in your hands all that you did wrong. Reach out for his mercy with both hands. He will take away what grieves and burdens you. He will wash you in fresh, clean water. Heartache and regret don’t disappear, but he will take the sting and despair away. They will no longer torture you. He will heal you. He gives you a fresh start. God says, “I have seen your ways, but I will heal you. I will guide you and restore comfort to you” (Isaiah 57:18 paraphrase). Your faith will find it true that “His mercies are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-24). Let this very day be a day on which you find brand new mercies.

Wednesday January 12

Grant, O most merciful Father, for Jesus’ sake, that I may hereafter live a godly

and righteous and sober life to the glory of your holy name.

You not only ask God for forgiveness, you honestly ask for his power to

change you in the hard places of life. Ask him to make you a different kind of

person. Here are some of the ways he says this.

• Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that

we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Notice that he promises mercy and help in the very places where you most

struggle, in your times of greatest need. He will help you to do the right thing. In

your times of struggle, he will help you do the courageous thing, the loving thing.

Even when it is hard, especially when it is hard, draw near to him with

confidence.

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• He died for all so that those who live might no longer live for

themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

It cost Jesus his life to give you life. He who has truly loved you now calls

you to give your life to him. Live for him, not for yourself. What will it mean for

you to “no longer live for yourself”?

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• He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion until

the day of Christ Jesus.

Even when the road seems hard, God will keep working in you. And when

you see Jesus face-to-face, you will be utterly changed forever to be like him and

to love him.

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A Liturgy of Confession by David Powlison

Tuesday January 11

• All the promises of God are YES in Jesus Christ.

Jesus fulfills all these promises and more. Your hope centers on a Person,

not a feeling, not an idea, not something you do. Jesus is and does what God

promises. Because Jesus loved you to the uttermost, you have true hope, not “I

hope so…” or “Maybe …” or “If only….” Jesus went to his death on a cross for

your wrongs, not for his own. The innocent died for the guilty. He personally took

your shame and guilt onto himself. He died so you would not die for your sins. He

is alive forever, so you will live in him and with him. He personally fulfills and

embodies each and every one of the promises you have been considering. Because

of Jesus’ death for you and because of his resurrection to life, you can bring your

darkest sins into his bright light. Ask God for mercy because in Jesus he has

shown that what he promises comes true. What he said he would do, he did. What

he says that he does, he does. What he says he will do, he will do. You can ask

today. You can ask every day. Ask now.

Monday January 10

We're continuing with Liturgy of Confession a few more days. Here's the next section.

• The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger,

and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for

thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.

Turn to him honestly, and he will be all these things to you. Imagine: here

is someone who is faithful, who will never betray you. Imagine – here is someone

whose love is steadfast and committed. Imagine – the very person who should

condemn you is choosing to be merciful and forgiving. Because he is all these

things, you can turn to him honestly.

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• For your name’s sake, pardon my iniquity, for it is very great.

Imagine – God does all this because of who he is. Who he is and what he

does are far greater than what you have done. In effect, you are asking, “O God,

when you think about me and what I have done, think of yourself and what you

have done. When you take notice of my wrongs, remember your own mercies.”

Think long and hard about that. Talk it out with God. Your hope comes from

someone completely outside of you! No matter what you have done wrong – “my

iniquity is very great” – you may cry out for an even greater mercy.

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Friday Week 16

The beauty of the gospel is that our confession is always linked with God's

promise of good. Guilt and regret make you miserable: unhappy, in dire need of

mercy. Mercy is not something anyone deserves; it is something undeserved that

someone else gives. What are God's promises to you? Here are a few specifics to

take to heart. Stop and think over each promise. What does it mean that this is

TRUE? What would it mean for you to truly believe and trust this? How does this

promise change the meaning of your failures and sins? Say these promises to

yourself. Think about them. Say them aloud. Ask God to make them so. Turn to

him on the basis of these promises.

• I will never leave you or forsake you.

Imagine – you will never be abandoned. He will not walk away. What

does it mean for this to be so?

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• The LORD bless you and keep you.

Imagine – God promises to do you pure good. He promises to keep you in

his care, to watch over you. He will never betray your trust.

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• The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

Imagine – the Lord promises to turn a beaming face towards you. He will

treat you with true kindness. Grace means undeserved kindness, and God is

willingly gracious.

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• The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Imagine – he promises to never turn away from you. He gives peace. He

does not get disgusted and give up. He does not leave you in trouble, turmoil and

confusion. What would it mean for you to know true peace?

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A Liturgy of Confession by David Powlison

Thursday January 6

I have followed too much the devices and desires of my own heart.

“It seemed like the right decision. It seemed like the only decision. It

seemed like what I needed to do. In the end, I wanted to do it and chose to do it,

even if I had mixed feelings. It seemed like the thing that everybody was

suggesting I do. It seemed like I had no options. Yet I realize now that I was

following too much the devices and desires of my own heart, and not listening to

God’s voice.” You can confess to God all the excuses and ‘reasons’ that were

once used to convince yourself that it was OK to do something that is wrong.

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I have offended against your holy law.

Which laws of God have you offended? Think about the will of God that

calls us to love the helpless, to be faithful to those in our care, to protect life, and

especially to protect innocent, helpless persons. A gestating child is the most

helpless and most dependent human being of all. God’s holy law defines what

love looks like, because God is love. How did you offend against the call of love?

For help in seeing clearly, look at these Bible passages: Romans 13:9–10; Isaiah

49:14–16.

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I have left undone those things which I ought to have done, and I have done those

things which I ought not to have done. And there is no health in me.

The General Confession leads you to take seriously what is wrong – but

not so you wallow in feeling bad. By becoming deeply honest, you see your need

for help, and can receive the mercy and help you actually need. These are heavy,

serious words. These words have gravity. Feel their weight. But they are a door

that opens wide to the one who is your help and hope. Personal honesty before

God is the path to the most wonderful release. You will be washed clean, your

burdens removed. You will be filled with thankfulness, even thankful tears.

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But you, O Lord, have mercy upon me, miserable offender. Spare me, O God, I

who confess my faults. Restore me when I turn to you according to your promises

that you have declared to me in Christ Jesus, my Lord.

A Liturgy of Confession by David Powlison

Wednesday January 5

I have erred and strayed from your ways like a lost sheep.

Fill in the specific ways you have strayed from God’s ways: “in my

abortion, in my immorality, in caving in to the pressure of others, in living my life

willfully, in living for convenience, in not wanting to interrupt my education, my

career or my job, in not wanting to face the shame of being a single parent, in

simply being overwhelmed with fear and confusion… I have erred and strayed.”

Because he is both strong and merciful, you can be honest.

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A Liturgy of Confession by David Powlison

Tuesday January 4

Almighty and most merciful Father,

Notice that you are talking with someone who is both all powerful and most merciful. The God and Father of Jesus Christ is the God of comfort and Father of mercies. God becomes your Father, our Father who art in heaven, through Jesus. He loved you in the exact way you most need help and rescue from outside yourself. He died in your place. He laid down his life for you. He is alive. He pursues you. Someday you will see him face to face. He comes to you in person, giving his Holy Spirit, who makes you childlike towards him: “Abba, Father!” You need this Father of life, this living Savior, this life-giving Spirit.

Turn to him. Call on him for help.

Don’t mistake the true God for other things. For example, what if your human father was weak, absent, fickle or harsh? The reason you know that such things are wrong is that you have a God-implanted sense within you: a true father should be strong, involved, faithful, generous and tender. Your true Father welcomes you. He is glad to see you and willingly listens to you. He will protect you. He will hear you. He is merciful. He is generous-hearted. He will help you. He will give you what you truly need.

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A Liturgy of Confession. David Powlison

Monday January 3

I received permission to pass on to you this great prayer tool. I think you are really going to enjoy it. It is by David Powlison, a gifted counselor. The article is called A Personal Liturgy of Confession. I'm going to split it up Nugget size over the next several days. I'll be going through it along with you.

May the Lord meet us all.

Here is the intro:

When I counsel with people who struggle with deep feelings of shame, guilt, and regret, I

sometimes suggest that they design a personalized liturgy. In what follows, I walk

through the example of a woman who has had an abortion, and all that led up to that

choice, and all that follows in someone whose conscience is alive. But you can tailor it to

whatever struggle you or another person needs to deal with. Where is your struggle? Is it

temper or bitterness? Sexual immorality? Amnesia toward God? Gluttony, laziness or

greed? Judgmental words or thoughts? Gossip? Obsessive worrying? God welcomes all

who are weary with sin.

* * *

Designing your own liturgy of confession will help you to think through exactly

what you need to bring to God, and what you need from God. It will give you serious

words to express your sorrow, regret, guilt and pain over your abortion. It will lead you

by the hand to God’s mercy and to his washing away of your sin and guilt. The parts of

this liturgy in italics are taken and adapted from the General Confession of Sin in The

Book of Common Prayer. Even when your thoughts and feelings are chaotic, these words

can serve as your guide. They are a channel for honesty. Instead of wallowing in misery

and failure, these words help you to plan how you will walk in the direction of honesty,

mercy, gratitude, and freedom.

I suggest that you pray out loud. It helps you to remember that you are talking

with someone who is listening. You aren’t just thinking things inside your head. Use this

prayer to express the gravity of what happened. Use it to remind yourself out loud that

God’s mercies are deeper than what you did or failed to do. Read through this prayer and

meditation first. Then go back through it, writing out your own words to personalize it.

Express your honest story to God in response to hearing what he says to you.

I'm going to stop here for the day, and encourage you to try this one thing. Pray out loud. It is kind of weird at first, but I think if you fight through the initial awkwardness you will find it pretty stinking powerful.

Tomorrow we'll begin.