Weekly Challenge -Be Faithful

Life Group:

Our study on Saturday was related to being a faithful disciple.  We are called to be faithful, we are told the difference between faithful and “traitors”, we are provided with examples on how to be a faithful disciple. 

One commentary stated that faithfulness refers to being true to and trusting in someone or something.  In the context of Proverbs, we are being faithful or trustworthy to God and each other.  We are living in knowledge, wisdom, and righteousness.  The opposite of being faithful is being treacherous, backslidden, and untrustworthy.

I loved the video clip about the Dad that is playing t-ball.  At the end, it asked if your faith is still in t-ball.  Or have you made the intentional decision to move on to more?

We can be faithful and set-apart by:

• Love the Lord with every facet of your life
• Allow God’s word to guide your every move
• Confess and accept forgiveness
• Be filled with the Holy Spirit
• Live in Victory
• Be accountable to other Christians
• Live a disciplined spiritual life

My challenge to you this week is to take one or more of the bullet points above and ask God to show you how to be faithful.  What needs to change?  What action needs to occur?  What do you need to remove?

Be intentional.

Travis

Prayer and Social Media -Prayrful

LG Community;

It was a privilege to have Kevin and Tamara Fisher join us in class on Saturday.  As a Life Group community of believers we strive to encourage and teach individuals to develop the spiritual discipline of prayer.  It can be difficult to be intentional in prayer, track prayers, tell others how to pray for us, follow up with people you are praying for, know what has been answered, find time all throughout the day to pray, etc. 

Kevin has developed the web app Prayrful to use technology to develop the spiritual discipline of prayer.  My challenge to you this week is to review the Prayrful sites below and to begin using the Prayrful tool.  For questions and comments, you can reach Kevin at kevin@fisherpride.com

Website:            http://prayrful.com/

Web App Sign-In:            http://app.prayrful.com/home/main

One of our first prayer requests is for one of our LG members to feel led to be our prayer coordinator.  This individual (or team) would lead the advancement of the use of Prayrful in our LG and to identify ways for our LG to spend time praying for each other and the LG.  Will you step up to lead this project? 

Be intentional.

Travis

Weekly Challenge -Replace Anger with Peace

Life Group Community:

Thank you for participating in discussion and reading scripture during LG on Saturday.  Our topic was how to replace the Anger in our life with Wisdom and Peace.  The verses in Proverbs remind us of the difference between a wise person and the reaction of the foolish.  Being wise could include: making a choice to control your words, be like-minded, bearing with each other in love, being empathetic, not causing dissension, not being quick to anger, seeking the good for one another, being patient, being kind, etc.

One commentary stated the cause of rage, anger, and hot-temperedness, is a failure to let God be God and to trust that He is in control of all aspects of our lives.  The only exception is righteous anger, which agrees with God’s anger. 

In LG, we provided a hand-out called Replacing Rage with Peace.  My challenge for you this week is to work through some of the 4 steps on the handout.  If you are like me, you may find it difficult to get past the first step this week.  However, it is necessary to go through all steps, no matter how long it takes. 

Be Intentional.
Travis 

REPLACING RAGE WITH PEACE

Step 1              Evaluate yourself

A.    What do I do (or not do) at home that irritates my wife and children or my parents, my brothers and sisters or apartment-mate.

B.    What do I do (or not do) at church that irritates my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ?

C.    What do I do (or not do) at work that irritates my fellow employees?

D.    What do I do (or not do) that irritates my friends?

Step 2              Evaluate your weaknesses in light of your attitudes and actions toward other Christians

1.          Do I expect more from others than I do from myself?

2.          Do I criticize others in the areas of my own weaknesses?

Step 3              Make a list of Christians you have difficulty relating to

·       If you have a list ask yourself, why am I so angry with them?

·       Are my feelings justified?

·       Are they aware of how I feel?

·       Am I upset with them because they remind me of myself?

Step 4              Consciously and deliberately forgive every person who has ever done anything to hurt you

Talk to each person to ask their forgiveness and make things right

Caution:  Do not base your forgiveness on the condition that they offer an apology. Take care of your own attitudes and eventually God will take care of theirs.