Do This - Not That (Week 5): Make Up Your Mind - Don't Play The Middle

Weren't able to hear the teaching conversation in person this weekend? Catch up with OUR PODCAST.

SCRIPTURES FROM SUNDAY:

Revelation 1:9-20, 3:14-22; James 2:14, 18, 26; Isaiah 55:1-3a

REFLECT/DISCUSS:

· Are you indecisive? Would those who know you well agree w/your assessment? Which is harder for you- making small, everyday decisions OR big, life-changing ones?

· In the book of Revelation, Jesus pictures Himself as moving in and among His churches/people? Do you think He still does that today? If so, what should that mean to/for church communities?

· Jesus said that He knew what these people had done. Do you agree that our actions show what we really believe? What would someone conclude you believe from how you live?

· How do you feel about Jesus’ strong response to people who played the middle?

· How would best characterize your response to Jesus right now- cold, hot or lukewarm? Why?

· Have you ever been a practical atheist- believing in God/Jesus- but handling everything on your own? If so, how do you think you ended up in that place?

· Jesus offers to meet each of the needs He points out to the Laodicean church. Do you think Jesus would be willing and able to meet your deepest needs?

· What strikes you most about the picture of Jesus standing at the door and wanting to come in and eat with you? How could you take Him up on that offer?

Do This - Not That (Week 4): Do Something- Don't Just Nod

Weren't able to hear the teaching conversation in person this weekend? Catch up with OUR PODCAST.

SCRIPTURES FROM SUNDAY:

Matthew 7:21-29, 11:28-30; Luke 6:46-49

REFLECT/DISCUSS:

· Name a few things you believe (ex. flossing is important) but don’t do yourself. Why don’t you do these things?

· What’s the scariest situation you’ve ever been in? Did/could you prepare for it ahead of time? What got you through it?

· Have you ever found yourself more interested in hearing and discussing Jesus’ words than doing them? Why do you think that was?

· In Luke’s description of Jesus’ words, he talks about a person who did the hard work of excavating dirt (by hand) to reach the bedrock. Is that a good picture of the effort that is sometimes required for us to follow Jesus?

· What similarities do you see between the two builders/houses in Jesus’ simile? How about differences?

· How do you think we can stay focused on Jesus’ call to obey and follow His ways without slipping into rule-keeping or counting on our doing things to earn God’s love and favor?

· Which comes first in your opinion- believing in Jesus or doing what He taught? Is it possible that they can be inverted for some people? Feed each other?

· What can you do today to build your life on Jesus’ ways? Where do you sense Him calling you to do something that He taught?

Read Matthew chapters 5-7 this week.

Next Week:
“STAY PASSIONATE – DON’T GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS”

Do This - Not That (Week 3): De-Clutter, Don't Get Choked

Weren't able to hear the teaching conversation in person this weekend? Catch up with OUR PODCAST.

SCRIPTURES FROM SUNDAY:

Mark 4:1-20 (esp. vv. 18-20); Hebrews 12:1-2; Psalm 139:23-24

REFLECT/DISCUSS:

• When was the last time you cleaned out some physical clutter? What motivated you to do it? How did you feel during? After?

• Have you ever felt choked or slowed down in your relationship with God before? Were you able to identify what was limiting you?

• What do you think of the picture of sin as an “entanglement”?

• Can you think of a time where something that was good or neutral (not inherently sinful) became unhealthy spiritual clutter for you and took your focus off of Jesus?

• Which is harder for you- identifying spiritual clutter or doing something about it?

• Is there anything in your life right now that is choking God’s work in you or slowing down your pursuit of Jesus?

Next Week:

“DO SOMETHING – DON’T JUST NOD”

Do This Not That (Week 2) - Go Deeper, Don't Wither

Weren't able to hear the teaching conversation in person this weekend? Catch up with OUR PODCAST.

SCRIPTURES FROM SUNDAY:

Mark 4:1-20; Ephesians 4:11-15; Jeremiah 17:7-8; Colossians 2:6-7; Acts 2:40-47;

REFLECT/DISCUSS:

Q: What do you think of when you think of your “roots”?

Q: What do roots do for a plant? Do you see any spiritual //’s?

Q: Have you ever heard a version of Christianity that says that God just wants a 1x response from you (i.e. get saved)? How does that track with the 2nd & good soils in Jesus’ story?

Q: Who do you think is responsible for developing our spiritual roots and depth? God? Us? Both? If we have some responsibility, what is it?

Q: What strikes you most about the multiple roots that the disciples in Acts 2 put down? Is your root system that diversified? Which of these come naturally to you? Feel like a stretch?

Q: What role do you think consistency plays in developing spiritual depth? Do you think it is likely that we will develop a thriving root system if we only seek God every now and then?

Q: If God were to draw a picture of your life with Him with a line in the middle of the page- a plant on top and roots on the bottom- what would your picture look like?

Next Week:

“De-Clutter, Don't Get Distracted”

Do This Not That (Week 1)

Weren't able to hear the teaching conversation in person this weekend? Catch up with OUR PODCAST.

SCRIPTURES FROM SUNDAY:

Mark 4:1-20, 6:45-52; Zechariah 7:9-12; Psalm 65:9-11; James 1:21

REFLECT/DISCUSS:

Q: If you had to describe yourself as one or the other, would you say you are more open or closed to God right now? Why?

Q: Which are you more likely to succumb to- blatantly hardening your heart toward God (like in the Zechariah passage)? Or following Jesus, but being kind of dense and lacking faith or understanding (like the disciples in Mark 6)?

Q: When is the last time you said, “I know what God would say, BUT……”?

Q: Have you ever asked God to soften and open up the hard places in your heart? Identify any experiences or beliefs that have left you a bit crusty and ask for God’s help healing them and being more open to Him.

Q: Do you expect to be challenged and stretched when you explore Jesus’ ways? Does this expectation lead you to seek Him more or less?

Q: What will you do to take in God’s Word this week? If you don’t have a plan, check out You Version (www.youversion.com)

Next Week:
“GO DEEPER – DON’T WITHER”

JOY Week 3 "Finding Joy In Life's Fragile Places"

SCRIPTURES FROM SUNDAY:

2 Corinthians 1:8-9; Psalm 127:1-2; Haggai 1:5-9; Matthew 6:31-32; Psalm 37:23-26

REFLECT/DISCUSS:

Q: When is the last time you realized that some part of your life was fragile and could fall apart? How did that feel? How did you respond?

Q: When was the last time that you found yourself seeking God urgently? Did something happen to prompt you? If so, what?

Q: What do you think is the greatest experience a person could have in this life? How do you feel about “an intimate relationship with God” as an answer? If that is your answer, does your life reflect it?

Q: Check out 2 Cor. 1:8-9. What did it take for the author to quit relying on himself and start relying on God? What will it take for you to do the same?

Q: Read the rest of the passages listed above. Do you really believe what they say about God ultimately being in control? If God is in control, does this change how we can respond to the uncertain and wobbly parts of life?

Q: If your life were pictured as a balance beam like in the teaching, what would you be doing on it? Crawling? Holding on for dear life? Swaying? Tip Toeing? Dancing? Something else?

Q: How would you respond to John Piper’s question: “Would you be happy in heaven- with all pain and tears gone- if Jesus wasn’t there?”

Christmas Eve:
“Finding Joy In Life’s Interruptions”

JOY: Joy In The Middle Of Trials

SCRIPTURES FROM SUNDAY: James 1:1-7

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

NEXT WEEK:

“Finding Joy In Your Insecurities”

REFLECT/DISCUSS:

Read verse 1-2:

Q: How does James’ call to “consider it (suffering) pure joy” make you feel? When you’re going through a difficult season, what’s your typical attitude or mindset?

Read verse 3:

Q: James explains it’s “the testing of your faith” that builds up perseverance. Can you pinpoint a time in your life when suffering developed you into a stronger person? How are you different today because of it?

Read verse 4:

Q: More than just making you a stronger person, James explains that preserving through difficult seasons – over the course of your life – will lead to spiritual maturity. How does it make you feel to know your suffering has eternal value? How does it make you look differently at suffering?

Consider Francis’ statement from the teaching:

“Joy isn’t something we just lose; it’s something we choose to give away. Joy isn’t something that just happens to us; it’s something we fight for. It’s a decision.”

Are there areas of your life where you have made the decision to give away the gift of joy? Are you focusing on the bad instead of celebrating the good? How can you begin to fight for joy in your life today?

JOY- Week 1

SCRIPTURES FROM SUNDAY: Philippians 4:4-8

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

REFLECT/DISCUSS:

Read verse 4:

Q: Have you ever thought of rejoicing as a commandment? Do you believe it is possible for you to rejoice all of the time?

Read verse 5:

Q: Do you agree that even when we give our worries to God, we often want to hold on to them at least a little bit? Why do you think we do this?

Read verse 6:

Q: Prayer is presented as an appropriate way to deal with trouble and still find joy. What does it say to God when we give Him our problems and then continue to worry about them?

Read verse 7:

Q: According to this verse, when does the peace come? Who gives/generates it?

Read verse 8:

Q: Instead of our anxieties and problems, check out the kinds of things God wants us to think about. How does what’s been on your mind lately compare to this list? If we are glorifying what we think about constantly- what are you glorifying right now?

What do you think of this statement from the teaching?:

“Rejoicing always isn’t about losing touch with reality. It is about acknowledging the reality that no matter how big our problems are- they don’t match up to the Cross of Jesus.”

Where are you at when it comes to rejoicing and worrying? How might God be prompting you to live differently this next week?

NEXT WEEK:
“Joy In The Middle Of Trials”

SYNC- Connecting w/God by Finding A Rhythm of Life

LISTEN IN: Miss the Sunday teaching conversation? Listen in HERE.

TRY IT: Start making spiritual habits regular parts of your life.

· Confessing- Speaking about who Jesus is in our lives- both to ourselves and before others.

· Unplugging- Stepping away from the constant stream of noise and people to be quiet and listen to God.

· Praying- Talking regularly with God through different payer forms (Ex. The Lord’s, Breath, Fixed Hour, Conversational).

· Engaging the Scripture- Allowing God to speak into our lives by reading the Bible, letting it read us, and doing what God says.

· Reflecting- Taking time to ponder and appreciate what God has been doing in our lives. (Ex. Journaling).

· Resting- Exercising our faith in God and creating space for Him to restore us by stopping from our work and busyness.

· Food- Using daily meals and occasional feasts/fasts to help us be grateful to God, celebrate His abundance and seek God more.

· Worshipping- Offering ourselves to God- both when we gather with other believers and as we live each day.

1. Review the spiritual habits we’ve discussed so far (see above) and reflect: Which of these habits: Speak most to what you need from God? Do you feel most prompted to make a part of your life? Would increase your awareness of, desire for and dependence on God?

2. Start developing a plan to incorporate these habits into your rhythm of life. See below.

3. Continue learning about spiritual habits with these (or other) resources:

· The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

· The Sacred Ways, by Tony Jones

· An Ordinary Day with Jesus, by John Ortberg & Ruth Haley Barton

· Sacred Pathways, by Gary L. Thomas

Find a friend(s) who also wants to learn more about living daily with God and share this journey together.

MY RHYTHM OF LIFE

I feel led by God to incorporate the following spiritual habits into my life:

DAILY: (ex. Blessings at meals, read Bible, prayer)

WEEKLY: (ex. Review week & journal, hang w/church & small group, rest)

MONTHLY: (ex. Read 1 spiritual book, secret service, meet w/spiritual mentor)

QTRLY: (ex. Day of solitude, service to the poor)

EVERY 6 MONTHS: (ex. Sacrificial offering, take class to study scripture in depth)

ANNUALLY: (ex. Vacation, fast @ Lent, retreat)

BEYOND THAT: (ex. Missions trip every 2 yrs, silent retreat @ monastery every 5yrs)

SYNC- Connecting w/God Through Worship

LISTEN IN: Miss the Sunday teaching conversation? Listen in HERE.

TRY IT: Offer every part of your life as a sacrifice to God this week.

1. Don’t limit musical worship to your time at church. Check out Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18-19 and listen to/sing along with some of your favorite worship music.

2. Read/Memorize Romans 12:1-2. Ask God to continue to change and expand your thinking about what constitutes worship.

3. Start each day with this question/prayer: “What sacrifice can I bring to You today God?”

4. Intentionally choose to pay attention to others as an act of worship to their Creator. Sacrifice your own need to be heard and validated and just listen to someone else today.

5. Don’t wait until next Sunday to praise God. Stop and thank God (audibly, silently, with pen & paper, etc.) each time you catch a glimpse of His glory or recognize His goodness this week.

6. Think about how God gets worshipped with your finances. Are you happy with the way you are stewarding the money God helps you earn? With the amount you are giving away to bless others and expand His Kingdom? With your openness to giving this part of your life to God? What is standing in your way of growing in your ability to worship God with your resources? What can you do about it?

LEARN MORE:

· The Air I Breathe, by Louie Giglio

· Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets & Sushi, by David Crowder

SYNC- Connecting w/God Through Food

LISTEN IN: Miss the Sunday teaching conversation? Listen in HERE.

TRY IT: Use your meals and food choices to help you connect with God.

1. Wait to eat until you are hungry. Eat healthy, fresh food and savor each bite. Allow your stomach, taste buds and food to point you towards their Creator. What does your meal teach you about God?

2. Pray and give thanks at each meal. Bless God for the provision of your food, and receive your food as a blessing from God’s hand.

3. Plan a feast to celebrate God’s abundance and the goodness of life. Cook special food or go to a special occasion restaurant and let the richness of the food speak to you about the majesty of God.

4. Choose to forgo some food to help you seek God more. Skip a regular component of your diet (ex. Meat, coffee) for a few days or a week. Choose to miss a meal and use the time to pray instead. Work up to a day or more of fasting. (Note: Check with your doctor if you have health issues.)

5. Use food to help you identify with the poor. Eat a basic meal (ex: rice and beans) and spend some time praying for those who are hungry and oppressed. Donate the money you would have spent on better food- or going out- to a ministry that feeds the hungry.

6. Grab some bread and wine or juice and celebrate communion with your dinner this week. Read Matthew 26:26-29 and thank God for the Bread of Life who loved us and sacrificed His life for us.

LEARN MORE:

· Celebration of Discipline, chapter 4, by Richard Foster

· Soul Feast, chapter 5, by Marjorie Thompson

SYNC- Connecting w/God by Resting

LISTEN IN: Miss the Sunday teaching conversation? Listen in HERE.

TRY IT: Nurture your health, relationships and soul by building the habit of rest into your life.

1. Create your own definition of what is “restful”. What would a perfect day of rest look like for you? What activities refresh and relax you? What enables you to connect with the people you love?
2. Reflect on your current patterns of busyness and rest. Sit down with your calendar. When & how often do you rest? Is it happening enough? What is the reading on your “energy gauge” right now?
3. Schedule times of rest. Block out times of rest on your calendar for the next month- aiming for at least 1 full day (even if it comes in pieces) every week. Treat these times as sacred.
4. Rest daily. Make it a goal to get 8 hours of sleep each night this week and do whatever it takes to make that happen: turn off the TV, cut off the caffeine earlier, exercise, etc.
5. Practice a “Sabbath” day this month. No work, to do lists or difficult conversations allowed. Start the night before with a good dinner. Go to bed asking God to give you rest. Spend the next day doing things that allow you to be refreshed and nourish your relationship with God and connections with others- even if it means not doing much at all.
6. Identify something in your life that takes a lot of time and energy and rest from it. Ex: No time on the computer at home.

LEARN MORE:

• “The Rest of God” by Mark Buchanan
• “Sabbath: Restoring the Sacred Rhythm of Rest” by Wayne Muller

SYNC- Connecting w/God by Reflecting

LISTEN IN: Miss the Sunday teaching conversation? Listen in HERE.

TRY IT: Deepen your connection with God by stopping to dwell on who He is, what He’s said and how He’s moving in your life.

1. Reflect on God’s creation. Get out in nature this week. Take a walk through a park and notice the fall leaves, the cool air, the sound of the birds, etc. What does the art tell you about the Artist? Pay attention to the goodness you see in your everyday life- the kindness of a stranger, the bond between a parent and child, the taste of good food. What do these things teach you about their Maker?

2. Dwell on one word, verse or story in scripture. As you read the Bible, pay attention to something that speaks strongly to you- or that you don’t really understand. Instead of moving on to other passages, think, read and talk to God about this one.

3. Start keeping a journal. Record your questions, thoughts, prayers, experiences and learnings.

4. Review each day or week with God. Carve out some time to reflect on these questions to help you better understand and celebrate your journey with God:

· What am I most grateful for in the past day/week? What am I least grateful for?

· When did I feel most connected to God in the past day/week? When did I feel least connected?

5. Find a simple physical object that will prompt you to think about God throughout your day. Any time you see or touch it, let your thoughts go towards God and remember that He is thinking of you more times than you can count today.

Sync - Connection With God Through Scripture

HEAR IT: If you missed Sunday’s teaching conversation, you can listen to it HERE.

Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 119: 10-16, Hebrews 4:12, Romans 12:2, 1 Peter 3:15, John 16:33, James 1:22-25.

Make a point to engage God through the Scriptures each day this week. Below you will find some practical steps to help you with that process.

READ IT: Read through Psalm 119 and write down all the different ways the Psalmist speaks about connecting with God through Scripture. What ways seem appealing to you? What ways seem difficult?

THINK ABOUT IT: (1) How do you typically approach Scripture? (2) Do you find connecting with God through Scripture easy or difficult? Why?

TRY IT: Select one verse from the Bible that God has used to speak into your life. Once you have selected your verse, use it as you practice the following disciplines this week:

• Memorize it: Rehearse the verse repeatedly until you have committed it to memory.

• Meditate on it: With an open mind, concentrate on the verse, look over each word, and allow God to reveal His Truth to you.

• Study it: Dig beneath the surface and answer these three simple questions to help give a bigger picture of the passage: (1) Who is the author? (2) Who is the author writing to? (3) For what purpose is the author writing?

• Obey it: Take some time to consider how this verse applies to your life and then obey it by putting it into practice.

SYNC- Connecting w/God by Praying

LISTEN IN: Miss the Sunday teaching conversation? Listen in HERE.

SCRIPTURES: Revelation 8:3-4, 5:8; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 23:46, 1:38: John 20:22, 12:; 1 Samuel 3:8-9; Philippians 3:10; Psalms 119:164; Acts 3:1

TRY IT: Expand your prayer life this week by trying one or more of the prayer forms below:

1. Return to the fundamentals by praying the model prayer that Jesus taught us- a.k.a. “the Lord’s Prayer”. You can pray this as a stand-alone prayer, use it to begin or end your conversational prayer times, or use each phrase as an outline to pray from.

“Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

2. Practice the presence of God by finding a breath prayer to pray whenever you think of it throughout the day. Use a scripture (ex. “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection”), a prayer that has been meaningful to other believers throughout history (ex. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”), or write your own prayer based on your needs or what God is teaching you right now (ex: “Fill me with Your peace Lord”).

3. Take a stab at Fixed Hour Prayer using “The Divine Hours” (http://www.annarborvineyard.org/tdh/tdh.cfm). See the back of this sheet for an example. Try praying all of the hours for a single day, or praying two of the hours each day for a few days.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?:

· Fixed Hour Prayer: http://www.explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/

· Breath Prayers: http://www.christiansoulcare.com/spiritualdiscipline/spiritualdisciplinebreathprayers.htm