How God Does An Inside Job - Shell Cowper-Smith - Audio

The Gathering Place Church - main

Authenticity is crucial for understanding and aligning our internal state with God’s truth. It highlights that true transformation and godly qualities come from recognizing and accepting what God has already provided through His divine power, rather than through our efforts. Group discussions and scriptural insights help reveal inner thoughts and beliefs, leading to a deeper reliance on God’s grace and provision. Matthew 12:34 For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Our inner parts/ inner beliefs determine our behaviors and emotions. It’s why we do what we do. Psalm 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, – God cares about our inward parts We keep trying to change our behavior and our emotions – but both of those are a result of what we believe inside – MOST of the time we are not aware We bring everything into His light - what we think is “good” and - what we think is “not good.” Then we let God show us what is true. Psalm 51:6 And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. So what is truth? In Christ, we have been given new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26-27) and are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). It’s in God’s truth, His light, we see self-reliance and shame are BOTH focused on self! 2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 – Where in the storyline? New Covenant. Things are not just promised – but fulfilled and given. 2 – Original audience? What it meant to the people at the time it was written - someone pointed out that the original audience had the advantage of the original language 1. The word ADD can trip us up because we feel like there is something we need to create or increase. It can lead to feeling we need to get busy, try harder and get better at all these qualities … 2. Scholars agree that the word translated ADD – is misleading 1. NASB more accurate - 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith minister moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge... Greek word is used epichorégeó (ep-ee-khor-ayg-eh'-o) – meaning what is supplied - it was a classical Greek term used for performances, It’s like bringing all the actors out on the stage for the final bow. You are not adding or creating – but acknowledging and accepting. You believe what has been given to you. 3. There is a huge gap between being diligent to embrace what God has given us and feeling we have to add something of our own creation. The key is in the Supplier. Our faith in what He has supplied is to increase and as a result: goodness, knowledge, self-control etc. grow. 2 Peter 1:9 But the verse goes on - SOLUTION 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. – This is the solution – when we feel those qualities are not evident in our lives – we turn our focus back to Him -the Supplier with thanksgiving and praise. that is how these qualities become visible. These verses are descriptive – who we are – not just what we do. 3) Is this consistent? And the discussion took off in high gear with questions, confessions, doubts… This is the second way God helps us see our inner thoughts and beliefs – through discussion – we start to see clearer • one person said: Gal 5:22-23 gives the same qualities, kindness, faithfulness, self-control - they are FRUIT of the Holy Spirit – not fruit of us. • “I’ve been trying to use my willpower to grow those qualities …” • Another person said, “me too, but then we are still focused on ourselves.” • We try to create something we weren’t meant to create. • When we see a godly life primarily as moral behavior, we may not recognize how much we need grace because we are doing okay checking off the boxes! • And the other extreme - we may not recognize how the enemy lulls us into comparison – they are both as bad - pride or shame it’s all focused on SELF Philippians 3:3 Put no confidence in the flesh it's more than our salvation. Col 2:6 – just as you received - continuing a lot so then just as you continued to receive. Until we see God as our Source -- we reduce Him to a little above a coach. I need to love more, and then we tack on “with God’s help.” Many people in the group asked for prayer to stop striving and to stop judging themselves and others.