Truth or Consequences part 2

          Going deeper with  HEAD TO HEART GUIDE 2

These sections go with Truth or Consequences (Main Healing Lesson 2) and are included our workbook for personal transformation, "Matters of the Heart."  All 24 lessons will be helpful to the person seeking restoration and freedom and have been posted on this web site. They are available as a complete set in our workbook which can be purchased as a download or ordered through the mail. The lessons are also available on CD and DVD as 24, 1/2 hour teachings. All scriptures are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

Exercise

Impossible to know it all
Can you think of a choice you can make that doesn’t have any consequences to it—no matter how slight or how delayed? Can you think of any thought or action that doesn’t have some relationship to right or wrong ways, truth or falsehood? This is what it means to be continually feeding upon the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:17)! Now consider how many decisions you may have made today. How many of them were you able to make with total knowledge of all consequences, all outcomes, all interrelationships to other persons or events? Gets tricky really fast, doesn’t it? What would feeding on the Tree of Life look like compared to this? Jesus is the Tree of Life. Living surrendered to Him—trusting Him and being led by His Spirit—allows us to find a path of life that doesn’t require knowing everything about everything! Knowing that it is always a matter of truth or consequences can help us cling to the One who is Truth. Write down how it would simplify your life—if you give Him more control.

Surrendered to Him I wouldn’t have to… 
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Trusting and obeying Him I would be able to ...
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Discussion questions

Have someone in the group read Deuteronomy 28:1-20 (or more if you can bear to hear all the consequences of not harkening!). Notice especially how consequences (good or bad) come to us based upon our attention (or lack of it) to God’s voice—not just the words of scripture.

1) Thinking mainly in terms of health issues (for now), ask the group to name all of the ways in which God has been sending His Truth to us concerning things to do to maintain good health. Don’t just think inside the church box. God “speaks” in all kinds of ways.
2) Then ask them to name consequences that come (eventually) to those who don’t heed the words of truth God has been speaking—especially in terms of health issues.
3) Now have them name all of the ways God goes to work to gracefully help us with those same health issues—even they may have come to us because we didn’t listen to Him.
4) Say a prayer of gratitude that we are under a new and better covenant—one that gives great grace. He doesn’t remove all of the consequences of our choices from our lives (we live in a real world after all), but at least the covering of mercy and love is perfect!
 

Main points

1) Blessings are the consequences of listening to God’s Word and walking in His ways.
2) The curse is the consequence of not listening to God’s Word or walking in His ways.
3) We have been given free will in a real world with an invisible enemy working on us.
4) God is loving us perfectly no matter what choices we make.
5) By reconciling Himself to us at the cross, He is not holding our sins against us.
6) Nevertheless, our choices reap real consequences—for good or evil.
7) When we repent God “clears us” of sin and helps us with sin’s consequences.
 

Digging deeper

Sifted by consequences
Search the scriptures for these basic principles of sifting (going through trials) from the Book of Job (read the first 3 chapters and look for these points) and from Peter’s sifted time (Luke 22:31). The Lord uses this principle of truth or consequences to sift out of us those things that never belonged in us in the first place. 

1) God in no way afflicts us.
2) Satan does the afflicting.
3) Satan has legal rights to enforce the curse of the law on sin.
4) Our sins give him open doors.
5) God covers (protects) us with lots of grace.
6) God sets limits to each sifting.
7) Siftings are what we call trials.
8) Trials always flush our impurities up to the surface.
9) The best way out of any trial is total trust in God.
10) God makes it work for our good—He is out to restore more than before.

A word to the wise: Surrendering fully to the Lord takes the fire out of any trial!
          Lord, make me willing to be made willing to surrender everything to You.
 

Sword and shield 

In the mix of scriptures below, there are passages that speak of the law of sowing and reaping (L), our calling to sow into the lives of others (C), and God’s own work of sowing into our lives (G). Circle them “L, C, and/or G” as you study and pray over them. Notice that even the devil sows in hopes of reaping—this principle is so profound and powerful! So, step out into your world and sow the good seed as a co-worker with your God—every chance you get.

L  C  G    Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. Job 4:7-8

L  C  G    The wicked man does deceptive work, but he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. Proverbs 11:18

L  C  G    For from Israel is even this: A workman made it, and it is not God; but the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind. Hosea 8:6-7

L  C  G    Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy… Hosea 10:12

L  C  G    He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. Matthew 13:37-40 

L  C  G    Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."  John 4:34-38

L  C  G    But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6

L  C  G    Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:7-9
 

Prayer focus

It is so important when looking into these issues to learn how to pray for grace as we go along. Otherwise we could easily become overwhelmed with trying to bail ourselves out of one emotional need after another or deliver ourselves from the sins that we see. Jesus really desires to be our Savior in every way! Let us learn how to cast every care on Him because He wants us to (1 Peter 5:7). Here are some sample ways of praying for grace:

Lord, there is so much I still don’t understand, help me to walk in what I do know and come with further teachings so that I can grow. I cast this care on you.
Lord, I can see that my stress is contributing to my illnesses. Forgive me and please go to work to help me learn to live by trusting you. I cast this care on You.
Lord, I suspect that there are so many things about me that may need changing that I am overwhelmed. I cast the burden of my whole life on You.

Now, consider the concerns that may be rising up in you.
Write prayers for grace that will help you cast those concerns on Him.

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Finally, end your prayers for grace with this one:

Lord, thank you for taking on these cares and for having a plan already in place for helping me. I am ready to trust and obey You with whatever You show me is my part.
 

Renunciations and affirmations

Confess/renounce previous agreements with untruth; confess/believe Truth as your new Way of life.

Father, wherever I have believed that I can live without consequences, forgive me. I renounce that false view of Your world and of my life. Whenever I thought that You were punishing me by what You allowed as my consequences, forgive me for shifting the blame for my own choices to You. I take authority and responsibility over my life. Thank You that You have given me sovereignty over my heart and have placed me with freedom of will in a real world. Help me to listen to Your Word and learn from my consequences and turn to Your Ways.
 

Putting feet to your prayers/stretch yourself!

Remind yourself of these things! 
Put a note in your wallet or attach it to your mirror or computer that reminds you:

My Father is not counting up or holding my sins against me.
He wants me to talk with Him about everything!

Then start challenging every emotion that comes up during the day that wants to hide from God or keep you from believing in how good the Father’s love for you really is.
 

Interested in going deeper?

For further study and for help working these truths into your heart and life, explore all of the Main Healing Lessons and Head to Heart Guides, plus the Life Applications, Illustrations and other Healing Articles posted on this site or available in the store.

Or better yet, let us minister to you in person
     --at one of our Savannah Seminars...