Weekly Challenge -Grace

During Life Group, we focused on Ephesians 2: 4-7.  This is a passage that ties together the reasoning and argument of Paul when he started the letter to Ephesus.  We are adopted and get the full inheritance.  We were worshiping the god of this world, but now worship the one true God.  We have been saved, raised up, and seated next to Jesus. 
Why?   To demonstrate His mercy, love, grace, and kindness to us and to everyone in the future. 

Grace is what separates Christianity from other religions.  The notion of God's love being free and with not strings attached, goes against our human instinct.  The Buddhist 8-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of Karma, the Jewish covenant, and the Muslim code of law, offers a way to earn approval.  Only Christianity says done instead of do.

My challenge for the week is to spend time researching the key differences between the religions.  Compare Christianity to Islam, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Scientology, etc.

Be intentional.
Travis

Weekly Challenge: Abraham

That was a great life group on Saturday.  We had fun using a Kahoot to learn about Abraham and we had great discussions on faith and trust.
I liked the definition which stated "faith is not believing in spite of evidence; faith is obeying in spite of consequence".
Abraham obeying in spite of consequence of losing his promised son.
Daniel and friends obeying in spite of consequence of losing their lives to Nebuchadnezzar.
Mary obeying in spite of consequence of losing her husband and family.  She said "I am the Lords servant.  May it be to me as you have said".

Abraham was not perfect in his faith.  He was commanded to leave his family yet he took his dad, his wife, and his nephew Lot.  He did not trust God's timeline and took matters into his own control and slept with Hagar to have a son.  He lied about his wife.  He failed occasionally as we all do.  But the general trend of his life was marked by faithful obedience.

Here is the weekly challenge:
1.  Read the Faith hall of fame in Hebrews 11.
2. Ask God how you can obey in spite of the consequence. Then talk it over with your family during dinner.

Be intentional.
Travis

Life Group weekly challenge: Lucifer

Our new series started with a study of Adam and Eve.  On Saturday we studied Lucifer. 

As a continuation of what Jamie started last week, we know that spiritual warfare is real.  It can be easy to state and sometimes even comforting to believe.  But we still have a difficult time when talking about Satan.  Why??  Maybe Verbal Kint is correct when in The Usual Suspects he says the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing a world that he doesn’t exist.   Or maybe our culture has created a pitchfork carrying character similar to a Santa Claus. 

So we took time in Life Group to go through the bible and list the names used to describe or talk about Lucifer.  Here is a partial list:

Accuser, adversary, lion, Beelzebul, ruler of demons, Belial, Leviathan, twisted serpent, devil, father of lies, dragon, serpent, satan, evil spirit, ruler of this world, prince of the power of the air, tempter, god of this world, Lucifer, angel of light, the enemy, Angel of the abyss, Abaddon, Apollyon

Then we made a list of the attributes or characteristics of Satan:

Was the anointed cherub, is limited spatially, and not omnipresent.

He is a liar, an oppressor, and an imitator.

He came to kill, steal, and destroy.

He will tempt, he plans, he schemes, he fights, he loses.

My challenge for you this week involves watching this clip of Bishop Ron Archer testimony.

Then I want you to stand with your family outside of your house and tell Satan that he is not welcome in your home.  Tell him that in the power of the name of Jesus, that you forbid him to work in your home.  Then pray a blessing on your house and family.

Be intentional this week.

Travis 

Weekly Challenge: Philippians 3:1-14

Life Group Family and Friends:

Many people ask me what I like about our life group.  I tell them 2 things: 1. We are very real and don't hide behind masks of what we want others to see.  2. We have great discussion during LG. 

Saturday evening was no different.  Thank you for the great discussion. 

Paul was very real in describing the Judaizers.  Dogs, evil, mutilators.  (Tell us how you really feel Paul!).  But he did not want "works salvation" to muddy the water and force people to lose joy of a true free gift.  Remember how he compared all of his great works, which use to matter so much, as garbage, rubbish, dung, bodily excrement, dog poop, etc.  (might have used the Message version in there somewhere).

Paul is telling us not to be dumpster divers.  But to focus on "knowing Jesus".   During discussion we used the following to describe "knowing": learning, studying, journey, on going, pursue, what Travis D. said, closeness, relationship, confidence, intimate, and oneness. 

My challenge to you this week is to focus on KNOWING your savior.  Do something different this week, talk to your spouse about what it means to know Jesus, pursue Jesus and enjoy the journey. 

Be intentional.
Travis

Weekly Challenge: Philippians 2:19-30

Life Group Family & Friends:

Thank you for stepping up to read during LG and for the great discussion we had. 
After we went through the background story of the church formation in Philippi, we looked at the examples of Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus.
We discussed servant-leadership, why we should use the expression "Lord willing", and honoring spiritual role models. 

My challenge to you this week is:
1. take time to find a way to honor your spiritual role model through prayer, phone call, or a note.
2. Maybe it is time for you to become somebody's spiritual role model.  Step out and work with someone.  Grab a coffee.

Be intentional.
Travis

Weekly Challenge: Are we Immature?

Life Group family and friends:

We studied 1Corinthians 3:1-4 and Hebrews 5:11-14 during LG on Saturday.  Many Christians were not growing.  Paul called them immature and still babies in the faith.  They were jealous, lazy, selfish, living in fear, not teaching others, and not applying what they have learned.  Other Christians were being intentional and growing.

During LG, we came up with these words to describe the maturing Christian:

Connection, training, authenticity, bible studies, self-discipline, sacrifice, action, community, mentors, and choosing to be intentional.

We read a paragraph from For the Love of God, by D. A. Carson written in 1999.  This is the excerpt:

People do not drift toward holiness.  Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord.  We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith.  We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.

 

My challenge to you this week is to read this excerpt every day.  Make it your call to action and maturity.  We will not drift into Christian maturity.  We must make a decision.  It will take an effort on your part.  We have to be intentional.  

 

Travis

Weekly Challenge: Information + Application = Transformation

Life Group Community:

Great discussion on Saturday.  The theme was Information + Application = Transformation

Our study was on Proverbs 3:1-2.  Every two verses, we are told to do something (or not to do something) followed by a promise.  It is useful for us to read the bible, but we have to be intentional about applying the information we have learned.

My challenge to you this week is to finish the handout we started in LG.  List the exhortation and the promise.  Then complete the application and the steps you will take. 

 

Verses	Exhortation	Promise	Application	Steps
v. 1-2	Don’t forget God’s teaching and keep his commandments in your heart.	Long life and prosperity	God promises me long life and prosperity if I make his teaching and commands a part of my life.	1.     I will practice a personal Bible study and prayer time daily. 2.     I will make my Life Group and Growth Group a top priority.
v. 3-4
v. 5-6
v. 7-8
v. 9-10
v. 11-12

 

Weekly Challenge -What does it mean to produce Fruit as a Christian?

Life Group family and friends:

The question we worked through on Saturday was "Are you producing fruit?".  We also read through Mark 4 where Jesus was talking about seed falling on the path, on rocky soil, on thorny soil, and on good soil which produced 30x, 60x, and 100x multiples.

But what does all that mean for us?

As believers, the result of a spirit filled life should be fruit.  If you put it in context with Galatians 5, we should be producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
But when you look at the Mark 4 parable, several questions come to our attention. 
The rocky soil example are believers who hear the good news, believe, but don't have the strong roots or maturity.  They drop out when trouble or persecution arise demanding suffering and sacrifice.
The thorny soil example are believers who get choked out by worry, wealth, and materialism and fall away from their commitment to follow Jesus and grow. 

How are you tending to your soil?  Are you growing roots and going deep?  Are you removing the weeds that choke you out or distract you? 

And finally, what fruit are you producing?  The apple tree does not produce fruit for its own benefit.  The fruit is for other people. 

How are you using the fruit of the spirit to benefit your family, your co-workers, your Life Group community, and for unbelievers?



Be intentional this week.
Travis

Weekly Challenge -Security through the Trinity

LG family and friends:
You have been chosen, redeemed, and sealed!  Amen.  In our study of Ephesians 1:3-14, we learned:

• God the Father chose you
• God the Son redeemed you
• God the Spirit sealed you

Your salvation is a done deal.  God's desire now is that you participate with Him.  He wants you to live a holy and blameless life, be intentional, and make a difference for Him today.  This goes back to our challenge last week regarding Ephesians 4.

The challenge this week is talk to someone this week about the security you have because of what the Trinity has done for you.  Describe the hope, joy, and peace you have and how your life is different. 

People are naturally seeking.  As the news story we read in LG, some people will believe in Jediism to give them some type of higher power.  But they will not find security.

Be intentional.

Travis

Happy New Year Life Group!!!

As we start a new year and a new series, it is time to review the purpose of our Life Group.
There are several phrases we like to use in our LG such as:

• Be intentional
• Community of Unity
• Be authentic
• Relationships are messy
• Grow and help others grow

These phrases all came from Ephesians 4.  As we read each verse, Andi wrote the words or phrases which Paul used for the new believers in Ephesus. 

This is a beautiful picture of what we are as a community of believers.  We can live this way because of Jesus. 
In our lesson, we learned that Jesus told all his followers that they will fail.  They said they would not.  But they all deserted him. 
Jesus knew this of them and of us, yet He still died for all of us.  We will fail, but God will redeem. 

Challenge:   Pick a couple of the words/phrases below and meditate and pray on them this week.  For you, in your family, and in our LG.

Be intentional.

Travis

Weekly Challenge -Isaiah 63:7-14

Great discussion in LG on Saturday.  So glad that we have a LG where people talk about real issues and have a desire to participate in the discussions.

Isaiah started this passage by telling others, or praising God.  We used his list and added our own praises to get the following:

Provision, Kindness, Blessings, Protection, Hope, Steadfast Love, Compassion, Strength, Peace, Grace, Faithfulness, Goodness, Mercy, and Love. 

Just as the Israelites praised God when they remembered the Good Old Days, we should take time to talk to each other and tell stories to our kids about what God has done for us. 

Challenge:    Remember what He has done and then praise Him.


Be intentional.
Travis

Weekly Challenge: Be Like Joe

LG Family and Friends:
Our passage of study last week was Isaiah 61:1-9.  We read how God the Son was stating He was Anointed (Hebrew -Messiah, Greek -Christ) by God the Spirit and will bring good news to the poor, bind and heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, release the prisoners of darkness, comfort mourners, etc.

It is a great passage of hope and encouragement.

This is the same passage Jesus read in church as described in Luke 4:14-21.  Someone handed Him a scroll to read, he read this passage out of Isaiah (of His own words), and then told the audience that He read about Himself!  Awesome.

We ended with a story about a guy named Joe who lived a very hard life.  Then he decided to follow Jesus, changed his life, had a new purpose, and began serving others.  The people he served did not know Jesus.  But they knew Joe and they saw how he changed and they wanted to be like Joe. 

My challenge to you this week is to be like Joe.  When you are around your family, friends, and enemies during Thanksgiving, be like Joe.  Help people see Jesus through you.

Be intentional.
Travis

Weekly Challenge -Isaiah 45

Life Group community:

Quick summary of the last few weeks:

Chapter 43 –God says you are my redeemed.  You are my witnesses.  Gave us a message of comfort, protection, hope, steadfastness.  We will be tested, but God will remain faithful.

·         The question to you is, are you a good witness for God?
·         If you were on trial, would you be convicted of being a Christian?

Chapter 44 –Idolatry is a lie.   Recognize that God is the Creator, and that He has not left His creation to determine its own path.  God is continually working within creation. Though the events, powers, and strategies of the world may hide God’s work, God has made promises to His chosen people Israel to remind them that God has not abandoned them.

Chapter 45 starts off with a big intro to Cyrus.  He was mentioned in 41 but now we see more detail.  The surprise to the Israelites is that Cyrus is called the Lords shepherd and his anointed.  For Cyrus himself was a pagan idolater!  God may disapprove of idolatry but use an idolater for some good purpose. The fact that he uses someone in a specific way does not mean that he approves of that person’s total lifestyle.   That is great news for me.  It means that He can still use me even though I have idols in my life!

In Isaiah 45, God is explaining why idols get in the way of allegiance to Him.  So my challenge to you this week is to repeat the challenge from last week.  Spend time identifying what you place more importance than your Creator.  Where is your security?  Where is your control?  What can you not live without?  Where, what, or who do you go to for rest, hope, security, etc.?

Be intentional.

Travis

Weekly Challenge -Isaiah 42

Life Group family:
We covered a lot of ground on Saturday with the timeline along with the study of Isaiah 42. 
I enjoyed discussing how Isaiah was writing about God the Son coming as The Servant for Israel and for all believers.  This was written 0ver 700 years before Jesus came as the Messiah.

He was chosen.  He will bring justice and unity.  He will not break, quit, or give up.  He will not throw away the lowly and the weak.  He will heal and free people.

750 years later, Philip was able to discuss this section of Isaiah with the eunuch to show him how Jesus is the Messiah.  Another 2,000  years later, we get to sit in a room and discuss the same!

My challenge to you this week is to study the timeline and read Isaiah 43 to prepare for more great discussion time this Saturday.

Be intentional.
Travis

Timeline:

Dates BC	Event
2000	Abraham
1900	Jacob changes name to Israel	Had a divided house.  Sons of Leah and sons of Rachel
1750 - 1450	Israel nation captivity in Egypt
1450	Israel entered the Promised Land
1440	Land divided into 12 tribes
1050	Saul becomes first King	From tribe of Benjamin (Rachel)
1010	King David	From tribe of Judah (Leah)
970	King Solomon
930	Israel divided	(10 tribes in North -called Israel) and (2 tribes in South -called Judah)
740	Isaiah ministry begins	was called by God ‘in the year that King Uzziah died’ (6:1)
722	Assyrian captivity
586	Babylonian captivity
538	Cyrus allows Jews to return home

Weekly Challenge -Last lesson on Thessalonians

Life Group Community:

We have finished the Spring study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians.  22 weeks of lessons.

The final lesson covered a lot of topics and we had a good discussion time in LG.  The main topics included:

Paul worked so he would not be a burden to the church community and to be an example to the new believers.

Some believers were not working because of confusion about the end times they could not work, they were taking advantage of the generosity of the community of believers, or they were lazy.
Paul told them to listen to his teaching and to follow his example.  If you don’t work, you don’t eat. 
Paul then told all the believers to never tire of doing what is right.

But how should we react to believers who do not obey biblical instructions?  Paul said we need to address the issue, act in brotherly love, do not associate with him, with the end goal of restoration.  The purpose of this discipline is not final rejection, but only correction.  This example shows us how to deal with a public, deliberate, persistent disobedience to truthful instruction. 

 

This type of confrontation is not always easy, fun, or painless, but it is biblical.  My challenge to you this week is to pray for the church body to claim the truth of God, be convicted of sin, remove the sin, and be restored.

 

Be intentional.
Travis

 

 

Weekly Challenge -2 Thess 2:13-17

Life Group,

Great participation and discussion on Saturday.  Thank you for the input on 2 Thessalonians 2: 13-17.

In our passage of study, Paul was telling the young Thessalonian church (and us) to stand firm, know the word/truth, and hold tight to sound teaching. 

So we looked up seven passages of Paul’s teaching to see how we can stand firm, know the truth, and hold tight to sound teaching.  Here is a list of some of the truths:

Love rules, above all, trust Jesus, love comes from the heart, be humble, live in the Spirit not the law, know where you get the power, be in step, do good, do what is right even when it is tough, don’t give up, all decisions have consequences, be changed, act different, encourage, have a pleasing attitude, meditate on THRPPGEW, pursue righteousness, stay strong, be steadfast, be on guard, stand firm in the faith, be strong, be courageous, and do everything in love.

Wow.  That is sound teaching.  My challenge this week is to read through this list every morning.  Allow it to be your truth, the teaching you can hold on to, the reason why you can stand firm.

Be intentional.

Travis

Weekly Challenge -1 Thessalonians 5

Life Group Community:

The week before we finished 1 Thessalonians 4 with Paul reviewing the rapture event with the group of new believers.  This week we read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 in which Paul told the church about the day of the Lord which occurs after the rapture.  It is inevitable, sudden, and inescapable.  Which is why he used the simile of labor pains upon a pregnant woman. 

As believers, we can respond to this news with faith, love, and hope.  We use these to encourage other believers, build each other up, and stay focused on our commission to offer hope in a hopeless world. 

We read several stories during LG.  One story was how Jim Bakker is now selling End of the World Biscuits on his website for donations at marked up prices.  You can see other items and “donation” amounts here.   You can pick up a Time of Trouble food bucket for $3,000!!

We closed with a story about the woman who wanted to be buried with her fork.  It was a great reminder of how the best is yet to come.  Do you believe it?  Are you responding to your family with faith, love, and hope?  Do people at work see it?  Do your friends?  Does your community?

My challenge this week is to be intentional in asking God to show you how to encourage others every day this week.

 

STORY

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. As she was getting her things in order she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at her service, what scriptures she would like read and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

“There is one more thing,” she said excitedly.

“What is that?” came the pastor’s reply.
“This is very important,” the woman continued. “I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.”
The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say.
“That surprises you, doesn’t it?” the woman asked.
“Well to be honest, I am puzzled by the request,” replied the pastor.

The woman explained, “In all my years of attending church socials and pot luck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, ‘Keep your fork.’ It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming…like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance! So, I just want people to see me there in the casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, ‘What is with the fork?’ Then I want you to tell them: “Keep your fork…the best is yet to come!”

The pastor’s eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman good-bye. He knew that this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She knew that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the woman’s casket and they would notice the pretty dress she was wearing, her favorite Bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question, “What is with the fork?” And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you, “That the best is yet to come!”

Weekly Challenge - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Life Group,
What happens to believers when they die?  When is Jesus coming back?  When will we be caught up, raptus, or raptured?  How will we know it has happened?  What will happen to all the believers who have died before the rapture?  Is it ok for me to grieve or mourn when a believer dies?

These are some of the questions the new Thessalonian believers had for Paul.  Paul was telling all believers that we have hope which non-followers do not have.  This hope should bring joy and encouragement.  Then we should encourage others with this truth.

One way to find hope is to seek it in God's word.  It was encouraging to me to listen to our LG community read passage after passage about hope in the bible!

My challenge to you this week is to ask God to provide you opportunities to encourage someone this week because of the hope which you have.  This is not a wish type of hope.  It is anticipation, expectation, confidence type f hope.

Be intentional this week.
Travis

Here are a couple images from the lesson prep regarding the timing of the rapture:

Weekly Challenge -1 Thessalonians 2:1-4

Life Group Community:

Our discussion of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-4 included 2 main topics.  First, why can it be hard for us to speak with boldness?  Second, how do we define success as Christians?

For the first topic of boldness, we saw that Paul spoke boldly and we know that the young believers in Thessalonica spoke with boldness.  Both parties were suffering for the cause.  We viewed a clip from God’s Not Dead where only one student spoke boldly because he knew it was the right thing to do.  I am sure he was not the only believer in that class.

The second topic of defining success as a Christian was enjoyable as well.  Some Christ followers might say we cannot talk about being successful because we will never “arrive” as a Christian.  While it is true that we don’t achieve a special perfect status, Paul said that he was successful.   The other end of the spectrum is the home of the Christians who look at their actions and life status as success.  I have been on 20 mission trips, I have not been divorced, my children know all the books of the bible, my kids have never been on a date, the pastor finds me to shake my hand, etc. (you get the point). 

We decided as a class that success comes back to the heart.  We know there has to be enough evidence to convict you if you were arrested for being a Christian.  Jesus said in Matthew 7, that by their fruits you will know them.  But your serving, mission trips, parenting, loving your spouse, and being in community have to come from a heart of love and thanksgiving.   Then you will be changed, your family will be changed, your community will be changed.  That sounds successful to me!

My challenge to you this week is to ask God the Spirit to show you how to adjust your heart.  Maybe you need to stop judging other parents, or couples who have been divorced.  Maybe you need to evaluate why you are doing activities.  Is it to check the Christian box, or is it so your heart will produce the fruits?

Be intentional this week.

Travis

Weekly Challenge -1 Thessalonians

Life Group,
These young/new believers were expectantly "Waiting" for the return of Jesus, but they were not passive.  Their actions were making a difference all across Greece.  That is such a great story.  Just imagine people asking them why they are doing these things?, why they have hope?, why they are acting different?
The new believers from Thessalonica could not open their bibles to give answers.  They could not draw out the Roman Road to salvation.  They could not use church answers and use words like exegetical, theological, and pedagogical.

But they could say something like "I don't know much, but I do know that when I heard Paul talk about this hope, I felt it was true and decided to follow it.  Now I have joy and peace because I have a new hope.  So I have decided to pass it along to other people"

So what is your story?  What do you tell others about how your life was changed or why you are a part of a community of believers?
My challenge to you this week is to make this a discussion during a family dinner. 

Be intentional.
Travis