Life Groups Study – Week of 1/31/21

Life Groups Study:

How Are We Supposed To Do This?

My Highlight

Looking back at your notes from Sunday’s sermon what are some words that seem BOLD in your mind? Did you relate any of these to seeing God open or close a door in your life?

My Story

Think about a moment in the last few weeks when you needed to do something new or
different. Maybe you had a moment when God spoke to you and you needed to follow
Him. What happened?

This Is God’s Word

Spend some time before Life Group thinking about this passage: 

Joshua 3:3-4 “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it.” But keep about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.”

Let’s Go Deeper

QUESTIONS:
1. Do you believe it would be hard to be in the middle of a job, task, or eating and then the ark of the covenant would come, and you had to stop immediately and follow it? How would you need to be always prepared for this to happen quickly? Paul writes in Ephesians 5:18 “Be filled with the Spirit.” As New Testament believers we are not following an ark, but we are to be led of the Spirit. How do you prepare to be led of the Spirit, so you are ready when God speaks?

2. Psalm 119: 67 “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey your word. 119: 71: “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” Can you recall some of the situations the children of Israel faced in the pilgrimage from Egypt and then wandering in the Promised Land where they felt afflicted? How do you think those situations led them to be quick to follow the ark of the covenant?

3. Lamentations 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.” Did you notice in Joshua 3:1 states they started out EARLY in the morning. What are some early morning practices you have that allow you to follow God and receive His mercy each NEW day?

4. Joshua 3:5 “Consecrate yourselves because the Lord will do wonders among you
tomorrow.”

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 “ For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to
you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, babies in Christ. …For since
there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere
humans?

What are some attitudes and actions that reflect a change you need to make in consecrating yourself to become more Christlike in your thoughts and actions? Do you feel the Holy Spirit speaking to you about things that are worldly and keeping you from following God in your relationships? Finances? Devotion to righteousness?

5. Hebrews 12: 1 “Therefore we are surrounded by sch a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders the sin that so easily entangles, and let us
run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Pastor Lennon said “We can’t live on autopilot and also go to new places with God. ..consecration is required. What are hindrances in our society that keep us from following God’s presence, knowing His word or giving value to His mercy?

6. James 1:2 “ Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many
kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” This passage reminds us that we will face decisions and choices in our lives because of life crisis, bad choices, or relational challenges. Pastor Lennon said “new obstacles are fresh opportunities to know an eternal God better.” When you face this language matters. Do you speak of problems or challenges? Do you focus on the struggle or pray and work toward solutions? Do you focus on Jesus and ask for Him to bring revelation about the situation, so you have a different perspective? Do you have people you call on to pray when you face obstacles? In this group we want to have a safe place to share our life and pray and encourage one another to know God so He leads us all through life..together and
better.

Let’s Pray