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

Weekly Challenge

What a beautiful dialogue between the members of our class last night...and what a beautiful dialogue between the Lord and Moses.  At a quick glance it may seem hard for us to relate the story; we aren't accustomed to God showing up to speak to us through a burning bush, we have no real context of what living in physical bondage under an abusive polytheistic king is like, I doubt any of us have ever killed anyone and had authorities seeking to kill us.  However, despite all of these things we found many aspects of God that remain true in our context today because our God does not change.


The Lord HEARS us.
The Lord is PATIENT and LONGSUFFERING
The Lord LOVES his children
The Lord has HIS OWN TIMING
The Lord is in CONTROL and is SOVEREIGN
The Lord commands OBEDIENCE
The Lord utilizes PARTICIPATION from His children
The Lord is WITH YOU
The Lord has GIVEN TOOLS (the Word, the Holy Spirit)
The Lord uses our WEAKNESSES to glorify His name
The Lord CALLS US AS A UNIFIED COMMUNITY
The Lord MAKES THE PATH
The Lord's WILL WILL BE DONE

The Challenge:
Reflect over these attributes of God and discuss them with your spouse and children.  Talk about how you have experienced these characteristics during trials, successes and all aspects of life in the past.  Discuss how knowing and meditating on these things can prepare you for the future.

In Him,
Aaron

Weekly Challenge

We had yet another night of great discussion as a class.  We wrapped up our series on spiritual formation by discussing what it looks like to follow the 2 greatest commandments.  It starts with surrender to God and then becomes a moment by moment journey, where we learn together how to better love God with our complete self (heart, mind, soul, strength) and love our neighbor as ourselves.  Then it is our responsibility to teach, not just what we know, but what we do to our children.  Let us continue to spur each other on to good works and utilize our spiritual gifts to build each other up as we continue on this journey.

The Challenge:
We begin a new series on the book of Exodus this week; we will spend the next 4 months making our way through this wonderful part of Israel's history and seeing how it applies to us in the 21st century.  Let's come to class prepared to discuss the introduction to our series.

Challenge 1:  Read and reflect on Exodus 5:1-5, Exodus 6:6-8, Exodus 7:5, Exodus 15:14-15, Exodus 18:11, and Exodus 33:17.
Challenge 2:  Read the entire book of Exodus

In Him,
Aaron

"Spiritual Discipline" Family Devotionals

The beginning of school is just around the corner and I know our schedules are about to kick in to overdrive. This past weekend in class we talked about the importance of slowing down to make sure God is first, so that He can work in and through us. Listed below are some of the spiritual disciplines we use as followers of Christ to continue our growth. I want to encourage you over the next four weeks to choose a discipline devotional for your family to do together at the beginning of the week. Then put it in to practice through out that week in a way that fits your family best. This is a great opportunity to teach and be an example for your children, as well as, be intentional in spending time with God during this hectic time of year.  

The Spiritual Discipline of Fasting
http://www.thrivingfamily.com/Family/Faith/2011/family-devotionals/spiritual-discipline-of-fasting.aspx

The Spiritual Discipline of Meditation
http://www.thrivingfamily.com/Family/Faith/2011/family-devotionals/spiritual-discipline-of-meditation.aspx

The Spiritual Discipline of Scripture Study http://www.thrivingfamily.com/Family/Faith/2011/family-devotionals/spiritual-discipline-of-scripture-study.aspx

The Spiritual Discipline of Worship
http://www.thrivingfamily.com/Family/Faith/2011/family-devotionals/spiritual-discipline-of-worship.aspx

Weekly Challenge

What unbelievable conversation we had in class last night.  Much gratitude to everyone involved.  I hope everyone understands that there is no better way for us to spend our class time than to engage in that type of discussion.  None of us has everything figured out and we must rely on each other to humbly teach, exhort, challenge, encourage, etc.  Great stuff, let's keep it going!

We discussed that according to 2 Peter 1:5-10, while it is the work of the Holy Spirit to cause spiritual growth, we do have the responsibility to put ourselves in a position for God to work in us.  One of the ways we can do that is through spiritual disciplines i.e. fasting, meditation, prayer, service (and there are many more).  But in order to do those things we must slow down, stop and make time to be still before the Lord.

The Challenge:
On Wednesday, August 7th we will have a class fast.  There are many things one can choose to fast from be it food, technology, TV, Candy Crush, etc.  Whatever you choose to fast from, replace that time in meditation and prayer over the class' upcoming service project with the North Texas Food Bank and Isaiah 58:4-11.  You might even consider involving your kids in the fast.  Come to class next week ready to share your experience.

In Him,
Aaron

Weekly Challenge

Life Group Family & Friends:

This was a very enjoyable week for me while preparing this lesson on spiritual gifts.  We had 16 members of our LG complete the spiritual gifts survey, we had a men's prayer meeting before church, and it was incredible watching our life group discuss the purpose of spiritual gifts.  The realization of each of us being used by God for His glory was special to be a part of on Saturday.  We are the body, a special mural.

Paul gave us 3 purposes for spiritual gifts:
1.  Prepare God's people for works of service
2.  Build up the body of Christ
3.  So that we all might become mature believers

My challenge to you this week is to ask God to talk to you about your spiritual gifts.  Then listen.
Know that you are gifted.  Believe that you are different from the world.  Where can you serve?  What are your gifts? How is your life different because of these gifts?  How can you rely on God the Spirit?

Be Intentional.
Travis