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 52:13-53:3

Weekly Challenge -Isaiah 52:13-53:3

This passage of scripture is an amazing summary of the grace that is the good news of the gospel:

In this passage we are shown just how unfathomable God's ways are to us.  He warns us that we must pay close attention if we are to fully "see" Christ because He is not going to be or do the things that we expect. 

This week my challenge is to really seek Jesus Christ - investigate what he looks, speaks and acts like.  Intimately comb the word to find the real Him!

Be intentional.

Jamie