How we practice our faith…
"Response Time"
The Purpose: to respond to God
The Process of Each Person: confession, repentance, support each another
The Process of the Group: edifying others and glorifying God
The Purpose of the Facilitator: to stay to the purpose and keep the entire process going
This whole process of having to confess our sins, hurts, sicknesses can seem awkward
& messy. Without question, this process is one of the most neglected aspects in the
lives of many who claim to believe in Jesus. The only way to have more of God and His work
in us is to empty ourselves of our self-life. This requires us to let go of the things
that hold us back. In other words letting those things die in our lives that separate us
from God. Dying to something simply means that the thing we "die to" no longer
has power or dominion over us.
When we die to something, whatever the hindrance was loses its grip on us. It is no
longer our taskmaster, no longer a source of distraction to our mind or spirit.
Some people react to God when He asks them to let certain things die in their lives by
murmuring and complaining. They cry out to God, "Lord, get me out of this! I’ve
had enough, It’s all too much for me to handle!"
Others become convinced God has failed them. They wonder, "where was the
Lord’s delivering power when I needed it most? Why didn’t he keep his word to
me? His promises don’t work!"
At Discovery we look forward to letting go of our self-lives and allowing God through
His Spirit to bring us to Himself victorious and full of life.
Simply put, our response of giving up ourselves is meant to be the end of certain
personal struggles. Our father brings us to a place where we realize we have to depend on
Christ completely, or we’ll never get through. He wants us to say. "Jesus,
unless you deliver me, it’s hopeless. I put my trust in you to do it all!"
Thus the response time is you becoming active in practicing your faith. Dying to self
and being filled with the Spirit. Without an active faith it is impossible to please God
(Hebrews 11:6a). We seek to please God through this process.
"Is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs
of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over
him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord…Therefore confess your sins to
each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous
man is powerful and effective."
James 5:13-16