Saturday, October 26, 2024:
Joy Story with Jesus (morning)
Luke 15:1-7
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Pondering Point
Repentant Joy is something in the bible. David wrote about it. Jesus celebrated it. There is shame involved in this joy, but that is good. Not all shame is bad. That said, shame left to itself is stifling – even deadly. Here is a simple quote about shame’s impact on us:
Here is a simple quote about shame’s impact on us: The feeling of shame triggers the vagus nerve network in the back of our neck so that we instinctively drop our heads. This is why encouraging someone can sometimes be referred to as “lifting their head.” It is a sign that you are not ashamed of them and want to help them feel like themselves again.
~ Warner, Coursey, The 4 Habits, page 55.
Pray aloud
Father God, knowing that You rejoice over sinners who repent, shape me to be a person who deals with shame and guilt over sin rather ignore or justify my behavior. Then restore to me the joy of Your salvation. (Psalms 51:12)
Five Minutes
Use your GO TO JOYS and ANTICIPATED JOYS to fill a 5-minute window. Remember: use an alarm. If necessary, review the explanation.
Read the identity in Christ
statement aloud
In Christ, we are people who deal with shame and guilt over sin rather ignore or justify sinful behavior. This pleases our Father in heaven who then restores us to His version of joy.
Closing Prayer
Close with thanks to God for these moments together.
Ask Him to bless the upcoming day, then…
GO – in JOY, with JOY anticipating JOY
Saturday, October 26, 2024:
Sometime During Your Day
Level 3: Savoring joys of the past.
Pondering Point
Before your official 5-minute window, take a moment to read through Anna’s reflection from Joyful Journey. Think about God’s compassion toward you. Where might that compassion have been present today? Then move into a joyful memory time. Finish with worship joy toward God.
From the book Joyful Journey:
Anna’s reflection: One very practical element of journaling was that it allowed me to organize my thoughts and slow down the whole process of interacting with God. And because I was able to slow down and quiet myself, I was able to receive the precious gift of being able to experience God's compassion toward me.... As I built this foundation of interacting with God I began to be transformed in a very noticeable way. I now find myself becoming more and more aware of the shalom of Christ that also referees every aspect of my life.
~ Wilder, Kang, Loppnow, Loppnow, Joyful Journey, page 7.
Journal Prompt:
Joy memories involving either giving or receiving gifts:
Key Words:
Listening to Jesus...
You know that I have WAY more than a hundred sheep. But I still know your name. I know you better than you know yourself. Can you hear My voice? Even if you wander, I’m calling for you – coming for you. And know that I smile big when we reconnect. Such joy!
From the book Joyful Journey:
We are excited to introduce a practical way to experience God's love and help that is easy to access even without a facilitator. We have noticed that even a one-time encounter with Jesus through Immanuel journaling can change someone's life… [it] is the third system developed to introduce an Immanuel experience. Journaling has proven to be the easiest way to learn the process.
~ Wilder, Kang, Loppnow, Loppnow, Joyful Journey, page 5.
Joy Story with Jesus (evening)
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Luke 15:7
NIV I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
Pray aloud
Thank You, Father God, for delivering me from shame and guilt over sin. Show me how to repent and return to joy rather than ignore or justify sinful behavior. Then restore to me the joy of Your salvation.
Review
Scour the day for ANTICIPATED or SURPRISE JOYS. You are training your brain to look for joy. This builds the habit. Recall the body sensations and emotion.
This solidifies the habit. Remember: use an alarm
Read the identity in Jesus
statement aloud
In Jesus, we are people who deal with shame and guilt over sin rather ignore or justify sinful behavior. This pleases our Father in heaven who then restores us to His version of joy.
Evening Prayer
Thank God for blessing the day, ask for peaceful rest, then GO to sleep – in grateful JOY, anticipating new JOY tomorrow under His grace.
The only way to overcome a bad habit is to build a good one to take its place in a sense. Life consists of the habits we develop so it is worth taking the time to do the exercises in this book in order to build habits that transform our lives from the inside out.
~ Warner, Coursey, The 4 Habits, page 175.