Special Challenge for November 30th

Life Group Family:

We have decided to do something different during our Life Group time on Saturday, November 30^th.  We will NOT meet for LG on the 30^th.  Instead of meeting together, I have a challenge that you can accomplish during our normal Life Group hour. 

After the Lake Pointe church service on Saturday, I want you to choose either a date night or a family night.  During this time together, review the material below that is related to our Exodus study.   The main title is “No Other Gods”.

1.    Read Exodus 32: 1-8

2.    Read Exodus 34: 10-17

3.    Identify actual idols and gods that we place in front of the one true God.

a.    Examples: Family, work, money, kid’s activities or sports, golf, your iphone, TV, or other time related issues that do not leave room for God.

b.    Get real and relevant.  Don’t just tap the brakes and do a drive-by. 

c.    Talk about Hollywood making golden statues as awards that are worshipped.

d.    What fights for bandwidth or space in your mind/heart?

e.    When you make up your daily schedule, where does time with your creator rank in importance (this is my biggest struggle).

4.    If you are using this hour as family time, watch this clip on your smart phone: http://www.bluefishtv.com/Store/Downloadable_Video_Illustrations/5711/God_at_the_Center

a.    What were Kallie’s idols? 

b.    What are some steps that you can take to remove the idols make God the central figure in your life?

5.    If you are using this hour as date night, watch this clip on your smart phone: 

http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/fireproof/no-more-addictions

Caleb and Catherine have been married for seven years, but their marriage has spiraled down to the place where it seems divorce is inevitable. Caleb’s father, John, brought Caleb a 40 Day Marriage Restoration book that Caleb used, at first reluctantly, to restore his marriage.  In this scene Caleb confronts a destructive idol in his life – internet pornography – and decides “no more addictions!”

a.    Is this too extreme? 

b.    Read Exodus 32: 27-29.  Was Moses too extreme?

c.    Why do we fight God and then try to replace Him with other Gods?

d.    What extreme, radical steps can you do to eradicate idols/gods in your life?

e.    How could these radical steps make a lasting memory for your children and affect your legacy?

Be Intentional.
Travis

Weekly Challenge

Life Group Community:
Our passage in Exodus was 31:1-11.  We learned that God chose Bezalel and equipped him with skills, with understanding, and with knowledge.
Then we read several passages to see how we are equipped.  Every Christ follower...:
Created for ministry, to humbly serve and bless others, we are provided tools and gifts for our job, we are authorized for ministry, required to serve others, and we are needed as part of the team or body.

My challenge to you this week is to go over the handout from class with your spouse, or walk through it during a family meal.  (the material is also provided below).  I am very proud of Clay since he took the pink copy when he left!  Don't use this handout as a checklist as a Christian, but use it as a way to thank God.  Find joy in serving.

Be intentional this week.
Travis

Exercising Your Gifts and Skills

My Personal Plan for Service

 

1. Life Group involvement: “All to service; some to leadership”:

If God has gifted and called you to be a leader, where are you leading?

If God has gifted and called you to be a servant, where are you serving?

 

       Action Steps                                                                                                            

 

2. Participate in another church ministry:

 What is a need in your church that is important to you?

How can you passionately invest your time, energy, talents, resources, skills, personality, spiritual gifts, etc. to help meet this need?

 

 

        Action Steps                                                                                                            

 

3. Participate in a community service project:

What is a need in your community that is important to you?

How can you passionately invest your time, energy, talents, resources, skills, personality, spiritual gifts, etc. to help meet this need?

 

 

        Action Steps                                                                                                            

4. Participate in a mission trip:

What is an area of your world that is important to you (local, national or international)?
How can you passionately invest your time, energy, talents, resources, skills, personality, spiritual gifts, etc. to help meet this need?

       Action Steps                                                                                                            

5. Do an anonymous, random act of kindness for someone:

What can you do for someone in your family?
What can you do for someone in your neighborhood?
What can you do for someone in your workplace?
What can you do for someone in your church?

        Action Steps                                                                                                            

Life Group Weekly Challenge

Life Group family and friends:
The video of the American soldier describing all of his clothes and gear was a great visual for us to study Exodus 28.  Just as Aaron was provided very specific clothes, material, and gear to wear as a high priest, we have specific tools to use.
Ephesians 6 gives us a list of armor that we need to use in our daily battles as the soldiers of God.  The American soldier would never consider going into battle without all of his gear, and we should not either. 
My challenge to you this week is to use the handout from LG as a discussion guide this week.  Pick at least one of the pieces of armor and answer the questions regarding the function it has for you.

Be Intentional.
Travis

Life Group Weekly Challenge

Life Group community:

The Tabernacle was the place where God’s presence was! And once a year, the High Priest went into the Tabernacle, into the Holy of Holies where God’s presence was, to offer a sacrifice that would cover the sins of God’s people.  The tabernacle was first erected in the wilderness exactly one year after the Passover when the Israelites were freed from their Egyptian slavery (circa 1450 B.C.). It was a mobile tent with portable furniture that the people traveled with and set up wherever they pitched camp. The tabernacle would be in the center of the camp, and the 12 tribes of Israel would set up their tents around it according to tribe.

But Jesus changed the tabernacle.  The sacrifice of God the Son has made all believers the tabernacle, or dwelling place of God through the Holy Spirit. 

My challenge to you this week is to read over the detailed description of the making and use of the tabernacle in Exodus chapters 25, 26, 36, 38, 39, and 40.  Think about the materials used, the design of God, the value of the tabernacle, how people were told to treat it, the obedience required, etc.

Then compare that to how you see yourself as the tabernacle of God.  How are you treating your body?  How do you get your value?  How is your obedience?

Be intentional this week.

Travis

Life Group Weekly Challenge

Life Group Family & Friends:

If you are like me, you may have a tough time remembering names, forgetting where you placed something, or missing some evening event on your calendar.  You may even have a tough time learning the word of God and committing it to memory. 

But why is it that I can quote movies like Office Space or Dumb & Dumber and remember verses to songs from the late 80s?

In our study of Exodus 12 and 13, we see that God instructs His people to Remember, Celebrate, and Teach their children of His mighty salvation.  Parents were to tell their children that the reason for the festival that includes eating bread without yeast was to help the people remember that God delivered them from Egyptian slavery. 

As we focus on how to be intentional with our challenge this week, ponder on these 2 questions:

1.       Why is it important for us to remember what God has done in our lives?

2.       How would you rate your effectiveness in teaching the children that are a part of your life about how God can deliver us from the slavery of sin?

My challenge to you is to take one time this week as a family to make a list of what God has done in your lives and to celebrate together.  Go get Fro-Yo together, enjoy Sonic happy hour, maybe a special breakfast.  Tell your children how God saved/delivered you.

Be Intentional.

Travis

Weekly Challenge -Promises

LG Family & Friends:

In Life Group on Saturday we heard Naked Eyes singing Promises, Promises, I knew you’d never keep,  and we saw Gru pinky promise to show up to the dance recital but he failed.  This must have been how Moses felt about God’s promises.  God laid out a detailed vision and plan for Moses and gave him the tools to succeed.  Moses relayed the plan to the other leaders and everybody had buy-in and worshipped God.  Then Moses went to Pharaoh with the message.  Pharaoh laughed at the idea, made fun of Moses, and forced the Israelites to work harder.  The Israelite leaders turned on Moses and told him that he would be judged by God and to leave them alone.  God told Moses to go back to Pharaoh and Moses started singing the Naked Eyes song (rough interpretation).

So what does that mean for us as believers?  God has a plan and God has given us promises.  We can pack up when we hit adversity or we can stay in the game and be a participant in God’s plan that will happen with our without us. 

I handed out a list of 365 promises of God to the LG and asked you to circle one or two promises that were meaningful to you.  Our LG chose 41 of the 365.  My challenge to you this week is to claim these promises and have confidence that God will follow through.  Read through these at dinner with the family.  Meditate on a couple each day. 

1.       If you search for Me with all your heart, you will find me.             Jeremiah 29:13

2.       My love will persevere through every situation.                              1 Corinthians 13:4-7

3.       Not one of My promises will ever fail you.                                       Joshua 23:14

4.       I have chosen the weak things of this world to confound the strong.           1 Corinthians 1:27

5.       I have brought you close through the blood of Christ.                     Ephesians 2:13

6.       Commit all that you do to Me and your plans will be successful.   Proverbs 16:3

7.       I will never abandon you.                                                                 Hebrews 13:5

8.       Humble yourself before Me and in time I will exalt you.                1 Peter 5:6

9.       I have cancelled all your sin and made you alive in Jesus Christ.    Colossians 2:13-14

10.   My Spirit will help you in your weakness.                                         Romans 8:26

11.   You can do all things through Jesus Christ who gives you strength.             Philippians 4:13

12.   I will teach your children My ways and give them great peace.     Isaiah 54:13

13.   I will not forget the love you have shown Me by serving others.    Hebrews 6:10

14.   I will repay those who are kind to the poor.                                     Proverbs 19:17

15.   Nothing will be impossible for those who have even a little faith.  Matthew 17:19-20

16.   I will reveal My secrets to those who fear Me.                                Psalm 25:14

17.   When you walk through the fires of adversity, you will not be burned.       Isaiah 43:2

18.   My love for you will last forever.                                                     Jeremiah 31:3

19.   Do not be sad, for My joy is your strength.                                      Nehemiah 8:10

20.   I will strengthen you with feet like a deer so you can reach great heights.              Habakkuk 3:19

21.   If you share with the needy, My glory will guard your back.           Isaiah 58:7-8

22.   I am near to you whenever you cry out.                                           Deuteronomy 4:7

23.   When problems arise, call to Me and I will answer you.   Psalm 86:7

24.   If you walk in the light, the blood of My Son Jesus will cleanse you from all sin.      1 John 1:7

25.   Trust in Me, and do not be afraid of what others can do to you.    Psalm 56:11

26.   I give power to the exhausted and I strengthen the weak. Isaiah 40:29

27.   I bind up the brokenhearted and I will comfort all who mourn.      Isaiah 61:1-2

28.   I will forgive your sins and then forget them.                                  Hebrews 8:12

29.   I carry your burdens every day.                                                        Psalm 68:19

30.   I will always be close when you need My comfort.                         2 Corinthians 1:3-4

31.   When you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will be with you.         Psalm 23:4

32.   I love to sing over you with loud shouts of joy.                                 Zephaniah 3:17

33.   My angels will surround all who fear Me.                                        Psalm 34:7

34.   I watch over you and I listen for your prayers.                                 1 Peter 3:12

35.   I have chosen you to be My own precious possession.                    Deuteronomy 7:6

36.   My love is patient and kind, and does not keep track of wrongs.    1 Corinthians 13:4-5

37.   I am your rock and your salvation, a fortress that cannot be shaken.          Psalm 62:2

38.   I am very close to those who have a broken heart.                         Psalm 34:18

39.   If you pray to Me in secret, I will reward you openly.                     Matthew 6:6

40.   I will provide what you need every day.                                           Matthew 6:11

41.   Nothing in all creation will ever separate you from My love.         Romans 8:35-39

Be Intentional.

Travis