Tag: repentance

Treachery and Remorse [SSL 324]

Today a portion of a lesson I presented this past Sunday at my church on Psalm 51 a lamenting and remorseful poem/song and the background and story of King David’s epic treacheries. It might surprise you.

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FIND related slides, images/art including a schematic of an Iron Age home that Bathsheba would have had and the interior courtyard area where she would have bathed or washed anything, plus other extras you will like at the PART II page: https://sparkmymuse.substack.com/publish/post/149978108

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What a Spiritual Challenge this month with some accountability?
It’s not very strenuous, it’s free, it’s a way to get us thinking, dialoguing, and moving toward better ways of being.

Go here for that ❇️ The October Challenge Patreon post ⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/posts/4-4-quarterly-113008968

Do you know Abba Macarius? [SSL 314]

Today we are exploring the Desert Wisdom of Abba Macarius on the strengthening of free will, among other things.

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https://sparkmymuse.substack.com/publish/post/146676674

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You are invited to encounter the spiritual formation book I wrote called The Wild Land Within (my first book with Broadleaf Books)
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The Lazarus Effect [SSL 310]

Jesus uses a shocking and hilarious hyperbole “a camel going through the opening of a needle” to speak of how absurd it is to think that the rich can be a part of what God is up to. His students are dumbfounded. The camel is the biggest animal they know about, but the opening of a needle? How tiny.

We might say, it’s easier to play golf by using a boulder for a golfball or it’s easier to climb a greased pole the size of the Empire State building with no arms and legs.

This means It is patently absurd to think that the rich will catch on to what God is doing and join in.

Yet, we also know that some wealthy people were part of the Kingdom of God in the Bible and some were as early Christians. Something is different about those people that is rare and inspired and few of us will catch on for ourselves. Enjoy the episode and pass it along.

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After you listen, you can find some amazing related artwork and additional reflections I did at PART II here ⬇️ : https://sparkmymuse.substack.com/publish/post/145024711

• Please remember you can be an ongoing Patron (supporter) by going here ⬇️:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/105022790

This kind of support unlocks for you many extras on that site (at $5 level, and up) and includes everything on the paid level at the Substack site.

For more info scroll down.

You are invited to encounter the spiritual formation book I wrote called The Wild Land Within
🎁 ❤️ 
Just click the book or google search the title to get one, or get a few for a book club.
I’m happy to meet up with your group to say “hello” and answer your questions and hear your thoughts.

• You can find out about my publisher Broadleaf Books here

⭐️What is a Patron? Here are the DETAILS:

Patron supporters chip-in a bit each month to help me offset my expenses and continue creating episodes. Supporting this way ($5 +) entitles you to many posts, perks, and goodies that unlock once you begin.

Want to come along side me with support regularly?
This kind of help makes a big difference. It is with great appreciation that I create for my patrons as my “inner circle”.

• Remember, Patron supporters ALSO get ALL ACCESS to the Substack (paid) extras!
Start here: https://www.patreon.com/

OR make a one-time contribution at PayPal.me/lisacolondelay

• It’s listeners like you make this work possible. 

You can help out by sharing the program and rating/reviewing it on iTunes or other outlets.
Thank you very much.
-Lisa

Eps 181: The Way Up is Down; Guest, Marlena Graves

My conversation today is with Marlena Graves about her book “The Way Up is Down: Becoming Yourself by Forgetting Yourself”. (Like me, Marlena is originally from Puerto Rico and grew up in Pennsylvania. Her Spanish is way better though.) She’s a professor, an activist, has worked in ministry, and authored a number of books. Now working on her PhD. at Bowling Green University in Ohio.  Stop by the extras page to get all the show notes and links HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/39670162 😃. (patreon.com/sparkmymuse | Episode 181)
Listen now with the AUDIO PLAYER:

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HOW Confession Heals

hearseesayOne aspect of the pre-Easter season (Lent) is confession…

Well, not really. The majority of Evangelicals avoid or ignore the command to confess and even the concept of confession. One great excuse is that we don’t have to be like Catholics who have to answer to a priest for our sins and then do penance. We don’t need a mediator between us and God. How empowering!

But, ignoring or avoiding confession also gives us a chance to hide in our sin and deceive ourselves and others…hum…not so empowering! That’s like putting our soul in jail.

True and thorough Healing and transformation come in and from the context of community.

Jame 5:16
International Standard Version (©2012)
Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

But –Why would confessing heal us?

There is a kind of cleansing that happens in confession. That’s why it’s not optional. It’s not just a purge from our end either.

Revealing ourselves to others has transformative power. Thousands of 12 Step followers will tell you countless tales of life-altering transformation that came through this route.

Simply put–God purposefully makes healing real and possible when authenticity happens with others. It will not happen on our own. This is by design because it makes us healthier to be connected in such a way.

There are no AA groups with 1 member because that would ensure failure. Healing works the same way for all us in that regard. Isolation keeps us stuck and unwell. Blind.

The Holy Spirit uses our honesty and uses our transparency and does his good work. Transformation! A confession is not just an apology (“Hey, sorry I made you feel that way.”) but rather it’s a careful decision to be authentic, to expose one’s self to the light of truth, to change, and to take a new course. So it is blessed.

This is the power and efficacy of prayer and repentance.

 

In the next post I’ll cover who we should or could confess to…

Do you think it matters who we confess to? (leave me a comment or voicemail)

Do you confess your sins and shortcomings regularly? (leave me a comment or voicemail. Yes or no and why or why not.)

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LASTLY- Is there anything you should confess? You are invited to do that here, or simply admit to confessing to some other human here (if you want to confess in another venue).

photo image found here: