Matt Beaney

Jul 30, 20214 min read

#405 - SEPARATED FROM GOD - (30/7/21)

During this LEARNING TO HEAR series I’m taking a different approach to these devotionals. I want to us work harder at searching the scriptures for ourselves. We will use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ method below to help us with this. It’s well worth the hard work involved!

TODAY’S TEXT

‘Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.’ (Isaiah 59:1-2)

I’ve included my reflections on today’s text below. However, I encourage you to pray and spend time reflecting (writing can be helpful) using the 5 questions below before reading my thoughts.

i. †GOSPEL - 'Gaze on the cross'- What does this text reveal about salvation through Jesus?

ii. UP – What does this text say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

iii. IN – What does this say about me, the church and how we are to relate? Is there a promise to believe, command to do, attitude to have, something to avoid, is there forgiveness to seek or give?

iv. OUT – What does this say about my community and mission?

v. DO - This has two components. Firstly, list as many possible ways that you can think of that one might apply the text (actions or attitudes). Secondly, hear - Pray about how the Holy Spirit is leading you, specifically, to respond.

MY REFLECTIONS

1. †GOSPEL

The ‘arm of the Lord was not to short to save’ us. Though our ‘iniquities had separated us’ from Him, He has overcome our great enemy. Sin and death have been destroyed in Christ. The cross is the ‘arm of the Lord’ accomplishing a mighty victory. His face is now open to us. His ear is now attentive to us.

“Lord, I trust that your arm was not too short to save me. Your great might has removed by iniquities ‘as far as the east is from the west’. I’m brought near, I’m seen and I’m heard.”

2. UP

God is separated from all sin and sinners. He is holy. He’s the living God who sees, hears and acts on behalf of His people who are in right relationship with Him. His power - His arm - can act and save and overcome all things.

3. IN

God hears us and will act on our behalf. However, sin will hinder our prayers. Sin damages our relationship with God. We are justified freely in Christ. However, there is nothing for which we are forgiven that we should not also be abstaining from. The Father loves to see a humble, contrite heart in us. In Proverbs we read,

“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)

God is able to ‘save’. He can deliver us from any storm. Whatever need we have, He can supply. Whatever temptations and sinful habits that we fight with, His arm can save and transform us.

4. OUT

Everyone who has not humbled themselves before God and received mercy in Christ is separated from Him. However, His ‘arm is not too short to save’! Our prayers are powerful and effective. We are to pray and act like God is alive, hears, sees, and saves.

5. DO? - Here are a few examples of application that I’ve come up with:

Repentance is a strong theme in this text. An application could be to spend time praying about our sin, asking for forgiveness and repenting. How could we make this a daily habit?

Write a prayer list of your non-believing friends. You could also write this verse out and use it to pray for those friends.

This text contains great promise for salvation. List and start to regularly pray for things where you want the Father to move in power.

HEAR - Pray about how the Holy Spirit might want you to respond.

COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY

During this LEARNING TO HEAR series we are going to take a different approach to learning from the Bible together. We will use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily Method’ together (Gospel, Up, In, Out, Do) - you will have to do all the work!

1. Icebreaker - How has God spoken to you from the Bible this week? (During this LEARNING TO HEAR series, we are seeking to develop a culture of listening to God out of His word)

2. Select a text of scripture. (You could use the text from Sunday’s message or something of your choice.)

3. Read and recall. (Read the text and ask each person in the group to put it into their own words.)

4. Please go through these questions together:

i. †GOSPEL - 'Gaze on the cross'- What does this text reveal about salvation through Jesus?

ii. UP – What does this text say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

iii. IN – What does this say about me, the church and how we are to relate? Is there a promise to believe, command to do, attitude to have, something to avoid, is there forgiveness to seek or give?

iv. OUT – What does this say about my community and mission?

v. DO - This has two components. Firstly, list as many possible ways that you can think of that one might apply the text (actions or attitudes). Secondly, hear - Pray and share (if it’s appropriate) about how the Holy Spirit is leading you, specifically, to respond.

5. SIV - Finally, it would be helpful to talk and pray about how we are doing in regard to Serve, Invest and Invite. Do you have any encouraging stories or any plans in this regard? How do you want to pray in regard to our mission?

#405 - SEPARATED FROM GOD - (30/7/21)

During this LEARNING TO HEAR series I’m taking a different approach to these devotionals. I want to us work harder at searching the scriptures for ourselves. We will use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ method below to help us with this. It’s well worth the hard work involved!

TODAY’S TEXT

I’ve included my reflections on today’s text below. However, I encourage you to pray and spend time reflecting (writing can be helpful) using the 5 questions below before reading my thoughts.

i. †GOSPEL - 'Gaze on the cross'- What does this text reveal about salvation through Jesus?

ii. UP – What does this text say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

iii. IN – What does this say about me, the church and how we are to relate? Is there a promise to believe, command to do, attitude to have, something to avoid, is there forgiveness to seek or give?

iv. OUT – What does this say about my community and mission?

v. DO - This has two components. Firstly, list as many possible ways that you can think of that one might apply the text (actions or attitudes). Secondly, hear - Pray about how the Holy Spirit is leading you, specifically, to respond.

MY REFLECTIONS

1. †GOSPEL

2. UP

God is separated from all sin and sinners. He is holy. He’s the living God who sees, hears and acts on behalf of His people who are in right relationship with Him. His power - His arm - can act and save and overcome all things.

3. IN

God is able to ‘save’. He can deliver us from any storm. Whatever need we have, He can supply. Whatever temptations and sinful habits that we fight with, His arm can save and transform us.

4. OUT

Everyone who has not humbled themselves before God and received mercy in Christ is separated from Him. However, His ‘arm is not too short to save’! Our prayers are powerful and effective. We are to pray and act like God is alive, hears, sees, and saves.

5. DO? - Here are a few examples of application that I’ve come up with:

Repentance is a strong theme in this text. An application could be to spend time praying about our sin, asking for forgiveness and repenting. How could we make this a daily habit?

Write a prayer list of your non-believing friends. You could also write this verse out and use it to pray for those friends.

This text contains great promise for salvation. List and start to regularly pray for things where you want the Father to move in power.

HEAR - Pray about how the Holy Spirit might want you to respond.

COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY

During this LEARNING TO HEAR series we are going to take a different approach to learning from the Bible together. We will use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily Method’ together (Gospel, Up, In, Out, Do) - you will have to do all the work!

1. Icebreaker - How has God spoken to you from the Bible this week? (During this LEARNING TO HEAR series, we are seeking to develop a culture of listening to God out of His word)

2. Select a text of scripture. (You could use the text from Sunday’s message or something of your choice.)

3. Read and recall. (Read the text and ask each person in the group to put it into their own words.)

4. Please go through these questions together:

i. †GOSPEL - 'Gaze on the cross'- What does this text reveal about salvation through Jesus?

ii. UP – What does this text say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

iii. IN – What does this say about me, the church and how we are to relate? Is there a promise to believe, command to do, attitude to have, something to avoid, is there forgiveness to seek or give?

iv. OUT – What does this say about my community and mission?

v. DO - This has two components. Firstly, list as many possible ways that you can think of that one might apply the text (actions or attitudes). Secondly, hear - Pray and share (if it’s appropriate) about how the Holy Spirit is leading you, specifically, to respond.

5. SIV - Finally, it would be helpful to talk and pray about how we are doing in regard to Serve, Invest and Invite. Do you have any encouraging stories or any plans in this regard? How do you want to pray in regard to our mission?

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