The 50s Community Independent Presbyterain Church Sunday, January 21, 2018 The IPC Chapel 10:05 A.M. Community Contact Information: Reverend J. Edward Norton EMail EMail Mobile IPC Web Page FaceBook Twitter Enorton@ipcmemphis.org jedwardnorton@gmail.com 901 461 8206 http://www.ipcmemphis.org/communities/50s 50s Community @ IPC @Norton_Ed Week Three: Boundaries Defined, Part Two 1
Dear friends, Due to Martin Luther King Day, and the snow days of Tuesday and Wednesday, I have not had the opportunity to post any materials on the 50s Community Web-Page (ipcmemphis.org/communities/50s) or the 50s Community at IPC on Facebook. I apologize for the delay in posting the material. This coming Sunday, January 21, Rich Luscomb and I have decided to spend more time working through "What Does A Boundary Look Like? Mainly, we will continue to dig into the concepts that we need to own, i.e.to establish instructive, healthy and productive boundaries. This past Sunday, we covered Feelings and Love. This coming Sunday we will endeavor to include Behaviors, Choices, Values, Limits, Resources, Gifts, Thoughts, and Desires. Please continue to read Chapter Two- particularly pages 40 to 50 in your book entitled "Boundaries." If we are going to construct healthy boundaries for our lives, then these are the things that we must own to do so. These are the building blocks of spiritual and healthy boundaries. On Sunday January 28, Rich and I are suggesting that we use the time for "Review and Reflection" of the material we have covered in these initial weeks. Additionally, it is our goal to field questions from the class that seems pertinent. Some of the concerns that have been expressed are as follows: 1. How do I love others- being motivated to self-sacrifice and mutual submission, while at the same time taking care of myself physically, emotionally and spiritually? 2. How do I say "no" to someone without feeling selfish in the end? 3. When caring for others, how can I know that my motives are right and honoring to the Lord? 2
4. Are there unique moments of ministry when I should abandon my boundaries for the sake of ministry and care to others? As a reminder, The IPC Missions Conference is scheduled for February 4-11, 2018. We do NOT have class on February 4 or 11 due to the conference. The theme for the conference is "One New Humanity: God's Mission For A New Memphis." Please refer to the website for more information (www.ipcmemphis.org/events/one-new-humanity-godsmission-for-a-new-memphis). I hope you are encouraged by Sunday mornings and our class. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to reach out to me on my cell, 901 461 8206. Your friend, Ed Ed Norton 3
50s Community Study Questions In Preparation for Sunday Morning, January 21, 2018 Boundaries Defined, Part Two Chapter 2, pages 40 to 50 The Book: Boundaries Simply stated, the establishment of boundaries in our lives leads to a greater self-awareness of who our Father created us to be and become. The creation of Biblically based Boundaries actually leads to Christlikeness. In Boundaries, Cloud and Townsend state, people need to be in control of their own lives, and they need to know that God is behind that idea. I would tweak that statement to read, One of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives is self-control (Boundaries, being one aspect of self-control.). Through the process of sanctification, self-control begins to germinate in our lives as we develop a greater understanding of who God is and who we are. As self-control begins to take root in our lives, we gain a better understanding of the need for boundaries in our lives and the way that these boundaries can be formed in love and wisdom. We begin to gain self-control as we more fully realize the implications of Ephesians 3 for our lives. In these verses, Paul is praying for Our Spiritual Strength. These read as follows: 14 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 4
I particularly love the promise of the latter portion of verse 19, which reads that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. For many, the fruitfulness of self-control is dwarfed due people-pleasing, fear, and lack of boundaries. We feel the results of this in a wide variety of ways resulting in personal misery. Consider these results to lack of self-control (no boundaries) that Cloud and Townsend have given to us in their book: Controlling relationships where people try to control each other Faith that is practiced out of guilt and drudgery instead of freedom and love The replacement of love as a motivator with guilt, anger and fear instead The inability to stop evil in significant relationships and cultures The inability to gain control of out own behavior and solve problems in our lives The loss of control to addictive processes The generational cycle of sin unable to be broken In preparation for our class on Sunday, please take the time to think, pray, journal, considering the material which we are placing before you. Here are the areas that we are asking you to consider: FEELINGS, ATTITUDES & BELIEFS, BEHAVIORS, CHOICES, VALUES, LIMITS, RESOURCES & GIFTS, THOUGHTS, DESIRES, LOVE. As you are considering each of these, ask yourself the following questions: How do Cloud and Townsend define the term, i.e. feelings? Do I own this information for my life? What does the Bible say concerning this information? What is Jesus calling me to do with all that I am learning? 5
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