Weekly Challenge

Life Group family & friends:

We completed session 2 titled “Marriage: Your Children Are Watching!”  Gary Thomas told us that “We need a biblical picture of why we stay involved as parents and why we keep our marriages together…”.  After tracing the fact that the Bible is full of dysfunctional families, Gary grabbed the promise in Malachi 4:6 –that the coming Messiah would “turn the hearts of the fathers toward their children and the hearts of the children toward their fathers.” 

My challenge to you this week:

Question:  What implications does marriage being a biblical picture of grace have for the parents?

Read Ephesians 6:1-4.

The Greek word “exasperate” is a violent word, an emotional twisting.  One translation puts it this way: “Don’t squeeze the hope out of your children”.  We need to operate with love and grace.

Complete the handout found at this link: HANDOUT

Complete one of the family night activities for session 2 located HERE

Be intentional.

Travis

Weekly Challenge

Life Group Family & Friends:

We started a 6 week series this weekend called “It Starts At Home”.  In these six sessions, we will explore biblical and tangible ways that parents can build a legacy of faith for their children.  But we don’t have to do it on our own.  Just as it takes a Christian village, it takes a community of unity (Ephesians 4).  We need to spend time during the week and during class encouraging each other, sharing what works, what did not work, our struggles, and our victories. 

The first part of our challenge this week is for you to spend time on the It Starts At Home website at http://www.itstartsathome.org/ .  Peruse the family night activities and the group handouts.  Each session will give you 4 different family night activities to meet different stages of your children. 

The second part of my challenge is for you to complete the Spiritual Legacy Evaluation that was in the handout.  You can also access a copy at http://emails.bluefishtv.com/Assets/It%20Starts%20at%20Home/Group%20Handouts/Session%201%20Group%20Handout.pdf

Answer the 5 questions by putting the letter G (for Growing Up) next to the appropriate answer.  Go back through a second time and place the letter N (for Now) next to the way you would answer for your family today.

Be Intentional.

Travis

Spiritual Fitness -memorization of scripture

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said "The deceit, the lie of the devil, consists of this: that he wishes to make man believe that he can live without God's word.

In Chip Ingram's book about spiritual warfare, he says "Christians who are not filling their minds with Scripture are like warriors going out to battle without a helmet".  He is referring to using the helmet of salvation against the attacks of Satan.

Psalm 119:11 tells us that the psalmist has hidden God's word in his heart so he will not sin against his savior.

Join our life group community in scripture memorization.  Here are the verses so far.  This week is James 4:7.

Mark 1:35
Psalm 119:103
Romans 3:23
James 4:7

Be Intentional.
Travis

Weekly Challenge

Life Group Family & Friends:

In Psalm 32, David tells his readers that true happiness comes from the freedom of forgiveness.  We have 2 choices, keep silent about your sin and suffer the life-depleting effects of God’s discipline, or, confess your sin and experience the joy and gladness of God’s forgiveness and restoration.

We had a good discussion on why it can be difficult for us to seek forgiveness even though we know we need it.  It can be guilt, fear of consequences, not wanting to stop the sin, control, pride, selfishness, etc.

My challenge to you this week is to ask for forgiveness from God and others.   You can start by walking through the Lord’s Prayer as found in Matthew 6: 9-13.  When you get to the section on asking forgiveness, ask God the Spirit to reveal sins that you need to ask for forgiveness.  List them specifically and ask God if you need to go to another brother or sister and ask for their forgiveness.  Then pray that God will make you a fountain of forgiveness for others.  Build up your community of unity.

 

Be Intentional.

Travis

 

Weekly Challenge

Life Group Family & Friends:

We are all familiar with Psalm 23, but it may be tough for you to relate to the Lord is my shepherd analogy or description.  However, all of us are parents.  I asked Austin and Ashley Adams to bring 3 week old baby Nora to LG to help us remember how completely dependent a small baby is on parents. Nora relies 100% on her parents to meet all of her needs.  At this point in her life, little Nora is not falling to the sin of pride or self sufficiency as we tend to do with our Heavenly Daddy.  How can we return to the 100% reliance on our Heavenly Daddy?

During class, we read part of Dr. Tony Evans book called God Is More Than Enough.  His book is a study on Psalm 23 and he helps us understand the shepherd analogy.  First thing we need to do is realize that we are sheep.  He states “But in order for Him to be your Shepherd, you must first recognize yourself as a sheep. Shepherds don’t tend wolves or dogs; shepherds shepherd sheep. And if you don’t think of yourself as a sheep, you’re not qualified to receive Him as your Shepherd. That’s why many of us aren’t seeing God meet our needs. We haven’t decided yet that we are sheep.”  And like sheep, we are dumb, defenseless, and dirty. 

 

 

My challenge to you this week is to spend time with God and tell him that you are a sheep.  Ask God to show you areas in your life that you are not allowing Him to meet your needs.  What barriers of self-sufficiency are you putting up against your shepherd?  Share what you have learned with your family and in LG next Saturday.

Be intentional.

Travis