Discuss: 1) Where have you seen the redemption of Jesus in your life? Where has He made something new? 2) Where do you feel God calling you to do good works? 3) Write a prayer surrendering to Jesus’ leadership in your life. Express how you feel about your reconciliation to God and what it will mean for you to truly follow Jesus’ leading.
Introduction Peter leads a large group of disciples to an isolated (perhaps secretive) meeting where Jesus will once again give them their marching orders. Then they make their way back to Jerusalem to await the coming Holy Spirit as the movement switches into its...
Introduction After rising from the dead, Jesus appears to His disciples on several occasions. Paul lists the appearances in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. He appeared to many people individually — to His leaders on several occasions and even to a group of disciples numbering...
1) Haha! Once again, this is a subject on which I could write volumes upon volumes, but for the sake of this study, I will do my best to keep it concise😏 The most obvious display of the redemption of Jesus in my life, and where He has made something new, would be the way in which He has turned (or, more accurately, is turning) this hopeless, self-centered alcoholic/ addict into a hope-filled, God-centered, fruit bearing servant for His kingdom! Not only has He delivered me from the thralls of my addiction, but He has redeemed and is redeeming the years and years that I once thought were wasted into an experience that uniquely qualifies me to be of maximum service to Him and my fellow man. There was a time when I thought that I would never get clean and sober, and that life was not worth living. Today, I am able to come alongside others who struggle with addiction, and now I “have the life I never knew I always wanted!” I can identify with Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, when he says, “I was soon to be catapulted into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence. I was to know happiness, peace, and usefulness, in a way of life that is incredibly more wonderful as time passes.”
2) I feel God’s call to do good works mostly (but certainly not limited to,) within the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, where I have the opportunity to connect with others that are struggling with alcoholism and addiction, and can “partner with God to bring wholeness and healing,” and am being “invited to be God’s agent of reconciliation, mercy, truth, wisdom, and hope.”
3) Heavenly Father, thank You for the redemption and restoration that I have and am experiencing through the blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ. I pray that I would surrender myself to You, Lord Jesus, and commit my will and my life completely to Your care! You have given me life abundant, beyond anything I ever could have imagined, and long to live for You, and You alone.
The redemption of Jesus in my life is widely known in where I came from a point in my life where I got into smoking weed, cussing, hanging with the wrong crowd, and just really up to no good as a no good grandson, brother, nephew, etc. It wasn’t until God called me and exposed me to the truth of Jesus Christ that I am saved. I have redemption in me through Christ. I had no idea what grace or mercy were and now I understand it as part of the greatest undeserving gift from the mighty one!
I feel God calling me to do good works in the lives of people with rough past almost similar to myself. The level of understanding from the personal experiences allows me to be able to put myself in the shoes of the other. Just like Christ put himself in our shoes by coming down to earth.
Father God, I praise you for the redemptive opportunity you’ve given to me. This same redemptive opportunity you’ve made readily available to all. No matter how far we’ve gone, how much in the dark we are, you will gracefully accept us back with open arms. I pray you mold others and myself that you’ve reached to be leaders wherever you put us. To outwardly display your kingdom and that we are your sons and daughters. I pray you guide us in our speech and actions when we interact with those that may know little or none at all about you. I pray that you can help us make the most out of those opportunities, that you shine your light bright through us. I trust that you’ll support us and guide us in this journey, this course you’ve set us on. I love you Lord, I thank you again for saving me. I pray all these things in Jesus Christ’s name, amen.
From Cyndi
1st redemption: 2nd year of college. Hit rock bottom, felt lost, alone, lonely, and disappointed with my life choices of having fun and living in the moment and not care about anything. I thought partying and pleasure of life was cool and gave me meaning and felt accepted and loved, but it wasn’t, I felt super empty. I went back to church and reconnected with Hoa and church friends, met Eric, served again. My life was full, changed, had meaning, and felt loved and accepted.
2nd redemption when I became a mom. I was a hot mess, but God restored me again. Becoming a mom and motherhood is not easy, but God has taught me so many insights about himself and strengthened my spiritual walk and dependency on Him. I’ve learned to let go of the feeling of not “good enough” and to forgive myself for my mistakes. Life is hard, but God is good. He has have carried me through the ups and downs of motherhood and life challenges.
in my home and my community-teaching my girls to be godly women, reaching out to my neighbors and mom friends from my girls school, my immediate family, my coworkers at work, and new moms at church.
God I surrender my life, my family, my marriage, my girls, my work, my friendships and relationships, and ministry to you. Thank you for redeeming and saving me and bringing me back to you. Help me to share this goodness to those around me. Help me to be bold and be your servant, sharing your love and my story and how you have changed my life so that others may come to know you. Amen.
Celeste
1) Where have you seen the redemption of Jesus in your life?
By my ABCs’. That is to admit, believe and commit. I practice that everyday. I am no longer a slave to the drugs I once used. I surrender to God and have fully accepted him as my only god.
Where has He made something new?
I was filled with despair and in such a lonely place, though there are people around me, I didn’t know how to keep a relationship because I don’t even know who I am or what I really want at times. I’m now free from my active addiction, hope and faith is a big one for me. I’m still learning to forgive myself for the things I’ve done , and said, so I can work on myself. I do the best that I can to the best of my ability.
2) Where do you feel God calling you to do good works?
By being of service, not just within NA but outside. I find it very rewarding helping other women addicts with paperwork for court. By being a good daughter to my dad. Working with my ex husband and the grandparents to get back my relationship with my kids. Share gods words and his ways when I have chance at my meetings. Talking to my coworkers about my rooted series.
3) Write a prayer surrendering to Jesus’ leadership in your life. Express how you feel about your reconciliation to God and what it will mean for you to truly follow Jesus’ leading.
Heavenly father, today and everyday I come to you still needing your leadership. I surrender to you my understanding of how things needs to be, my choices and my will. I surrender to you the promises I have kept and the promises I have failed to keep. I surrender my weaknesses and strengths to you. I surrender my emotions, my fears, my insecurities, my sexuality, all of the strongholds that has manifested and take hold of my life. I especially surrender my intimate love relationship. I ask that the holy spirit will never leave me and will always my my guiding light. In Jesus name. Amen.
(Dylan)
I’ve seen the redemption of Jesus in my life when I faced difficult obstacles but I still somehow overcame them. I see Jesus creating new relationships with people and also seeing my mood change over time. I used to be sad in high school for periods but that has changed. My perspective on life and those who are around me has changed. I can be happier and enjoy life more now thanks to God. I feel God calls me to make a positive impact on this world. He has blessed me with so many good things and to me, I believe I have the power to help others. I pray surrounding myself with Jesus’s leadership. I have him to guide me wherever I go and always as time passes. I believe truly allowing myself to follow Jesus means allowing me to accept everything he has to offer. Every belief, value and Scripture needs to be taken to heart.
1) Jesus has redeemed my insecurities on my identity and self-worth. Before I met Jesus, I worked hard to earn my parents’/others approval. Then the Gospel brought me good news that God’s love for me isn’t based on my performance but on Jesus’ completed work on the Cross.
2) I know that God has called me to good works at the clinic, through our Phamily through orphan-care and at RP.
3) “Jesus, you are Lord, you call the shots. Help me to trust you when obedience looks risky and uncertain, trusting that it’ll be for our good and your glory.”
I’ve seen the redemption of Jesus in my family situations. He continues to mold and make me new through different circumstances in addition to changing my family dynamic. I know God has called me to do good works by serving the youth and my peers. Father, thank you for your redemption and salvation. I am not enough, but You are. Lord, lead me closer to you and where you want me to go. Build me up and send me out to do your will.
God has made a lot of things new in my life, praise the Lord. The Lord has redeemed very important relationships in my life and I’m grateful to be so close to my family today. The Lord has shown me forgiveness and the joy of living in freedom without resentment or bitterness.
As I reflect on today’s reading, I am so incredibly humbled. Living for Christ is truly humbling and this new life we have in Him is so much bigger than ourselves. I feel called to do good works by being intentional in my relationship with others – to extend warmth & genuine kindness to the people in my life. It’s easy to get caught up in routine & forget how I can step out to be intentional.
Dear God, thank You for saving me and reconciling me with the Lord in light of eternity. I pray to keep you in my heart so that your love will overflow. I pray to be mindful of ways that I can serve You and others in a way that is greater than living for myself. May I surrender to be led by your example, Amen
I was very much in a dark place during the later half of my high school days. I was depressed and heavily lacked self-esteem. I remember how difficult that season was, asking God to deliver me from what I was going through. From that point on to now, I have seen God redeemed me from that dark place. Through prayer, reading scripture, and surrounding myself with community, I felt like found a purpose again. It was a gradual process, although one where I experienced healing, joy, peace, and confidence in myself again. I feel like God is calling me to do good works through the ministries where He has called me, that being worship and college group.
Lord, I surrender to Your leadership in my life. I am grateful for the ways that You have delivered me from the dark season I once experienced in high school, and how You’ve redeemed me. I pray that You would help and teach me to fully relinquish control onto You, that I may truly know what it means to follow Your leading. Continue to guide me and grant me wisdom everyday, and I pray that You would continue to help me walk in Your ways.
1. Throughout my life, I was unemotional. I was emotionally numb, which means that whatever emotion that I feel or my body feels, I wouldn’t be aware of it. Because growing up, I had expectations on myself to be a “good” Christian kid, and a Biblical scholar, which prevented me from being myself, and expressing my feelings because I was stuck living according to those expectations, and I wasn’t free. I felt like if I shared what I feel, then I would be judged for it, so I would start suppressing my own emotions, and hiding my own identity. I didn’t know what it meant to be fully known and fully loved. It wasn’t until Fastbreak of 2023 when I got to reconnect to the emotions that I didn’t even know I had in the past. I was restricting the life that God has planned for me to live, because I’ve been afraid of living it out. Then God helped realize what it meant to be fully known and fully loved, but in order to experience that, you have to be yourself, and that you can not be free from fear if you don’t embrace your identity. The thing that God made new for me was the ability to live my life freely.
2. I think that ever since I became President of Cru at FVHS, He has been calling me to evangelize to people through FOMO and Cru, and He has been calling me to be part of the Great Commission.
3. Dear God, Thank You for reminding me what it means to be fully known and fully loved. Thank You for helping me connect to my emotions every day, and truly live my life freely for You. I am thankful to know that You are my Heavenly Father, and that I am your child. Please help me to continue to grow closer to You and continue to redeem every little part of my life and of my story. I pray in Jesus Name, Amen.