THE LOCKED DOOR OF THE VICTIM
Let’s just open a locked door. If you are withholding intimacy from your spouse, you are an Intimacy Anorexic and your IA is a choice (Soul Refiner session 3). But wait, some of us will say we withhold intimacy because we are victims of abuse. Like the book of Job, we suffer loss. Job lost his children, his wealth and his health. We can relate to loss. Some of us can relate to victims. Job asked God for a reason of this assault and one friend said “Job you are just bad.” He asked God for an advocate and had to wait for an answer and experienced depression and loneliness. Job again asked God why people should suffer hardship. Life is difficult and people suffer “so God, why not leave us alone.” Another friend answered “God is too righteous to even be concerned about us.” Job’s friends continually harped that blessings come from righteous living. Job could have declared to his death he was a victim. But he did not stay a victim. His Intimacy Anorexia was a choice. Now how do we move forward from being an IA? With a deep breath you will start Session 3 of Soul Refiner. We, like Job, sometimes do experience incredible loss and abuse from those we trusted. We need help dealing with our own guilt, from misguided advice of self -improvement, and from Satan’s lies that God does not care about us. How did Job recover? Job at the end of all of his friends’ advice, walked away from being a victim by discovering a relationship with God. Job replies to God, ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’ Job 42:4 NASB You know the end of the book, Job was blessed abundantly - after Job forgave his friends. That is another good sermon topic. Open the victim door and find God on the other side by working through Soul Refiner session 3 at Faith Bible Church starting in January 2021.
by Steve Sagué
Posted in Marriage
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2023
January
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER?RESOLVING CONFLICT AND DEALING WITH EVILWHAT KIND OF FRUIT DO YOU HAVE?GOD IS PROUD OF HIS SONPEACE IS A FUNCTION OF FOCUSTHE HEALING POWER OF JESUSGOD CALLS YOU BY NAMESMOKE AND MIRRORSBE A LIGHTWISE WORDSEXODUSCHOOSING THE RIGHT PATHGOD SEES AND HEARSWHO IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM?WARNING AGAINST FOLLY
February
March
HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUTHE PLACE OF COMFORT AND SAFETYIT'S THE LITTLE THINGSBE ALERTMY GOD IS NOT TOO SMALLWHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN NOT TO SPEAKGOD IS GRACIOUS TO USKEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUTSTAND STRONG FOR YOUR FAITHOUR HOPEDO I DO WHAT THE LORD ASKS OF ME?DON'T BE A SCHEMERA TREASURE HUNTLISTEN AND FOLLOWWORDS OF COMFORT OR WARNINGTHE POSSESSOR OCCUPIES AND FILLS THE POSSESSEDUNDIVIDED LOYALTY TO GODONE CONCESSION STAND
April
OUR GOD IS HOLY AND JUSTA CAUSE FOR OBEDIENCETELL THE COMING GENERATIONTHE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOLSHINE YOUR FACE UPON USLISTEN UP!CHECK WITH GOD FIRST - HE KNOWS MORE THAN WE DOPSALM 86THAT IS ENOUGH SAIDDO YOU REMEMBER?TRANSITIONSSERVE ONE ANOTHERPROVERBS“Insignificant Does Not Equal Insignificant” (Judges 6)
May
JESUS IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!FINISHING WELLARE YOU THE TEACHER OF ISRAEL AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS?FORGETTING GOD IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTHREPENTANCE BRINGS MERCYGOD'S SOVEREIGN TIMING IS ALWAYS RIGHTWHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?A GODLY FATHERJESUS CARES FOR US - HE'S OUR SHEPHERDWHO DO YOU LISTEN TO?CARELESS SPEECHCONTINUE TO SERVE GODUNDIGNIFIED, HUMILIATED, AND GLORIFYING GOD!CLEAR PROMISESMEPHIBOSHETH AND THE KINGTRUST IN GOD'S LEADINGJESUS DOES THE FATHER'S WILL DEMONSTRATING LOVE FOR HIS MOTHER AND WAS GIVEN A KING'S BURIAL
June
A CLEAR PURPOSEWHAT IS TRUE WISDOMTHIS IS THE GOD WE SERVEHANDLING RELIGIOUS OPPRESSIONDO EVERYTHING FOR THE LORDMAY OUR FACES SHOW LIKE AN ANGELARE YOU FEEDING YOUR FAMILY - OR BUILDING A CATHEDRAL?FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY AND FREEDOM FROM SINUNITY TAKES ACTIONTRY IT, IT WORKSGOD'S WORDA PSALM OF KING DAVIDJEWS AND GENTILES AND SALVATIONARE YOU COMFORTABLE ENOUGH?THE GREED OF GEHAZIWORSHIPPING A KNOWN GODGOD KEEPS HIS PROMISESREASONS WHY WE SHOULD PRAISE THE LORDGOD'S AMAZING CREATION
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