Parenting Through Turbulent Waters

June 20/21, 2015



If you're a parent, did you truly understand what you were getting into when you're first child was born? The depth of love that surfaces when holding your child for the first time. The total inadequacy in caring for your little one who can't tell you exactly what's bothering him/her and only cries for help. Then there are the late nights, never ending diapers, exhaustion, tag team dinners, potty training, the stomach flu, and so many other challenges. Not to mention experiencing life for the first time again through the eyes of your child, thousands of hugs, playtime, cuddling. Joy. Laughter. And always the love that spontaneously erupts like a geyser that surprises us and takes our breath away. 

Kids grow up though and begin to pull away from us. That's totally normal and how God designed us. Most come through adolescence with a few scars from friends or poor choices. But some kids have medical issues that are overwhelming. And then there are kids who've made seriously bad choices with seriously bad consequences. And sometimes there are kids who seem to walk away from their faith. It breaks your heart, and sometimes even stops your world. How do you get through those times? Those terrifying turbulent waters?

READ John 17; Acts 2:42
The Trinity is all about relationship and the unity of the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The relational makeup of God Himself provides an example of how we are to be in relationship with Him and with others. He invites us, all together, to be in community with Him. This community becomes our anchor in the storms of life. DISCUSS with your group how community has been helpful to you in hard times. Who was there to give you encouragement? Who was praying for you? Who helped you keep your head above water? How have you been a source of strength for your friends and family?

TALK about how you've communicated through the turbulent waters of parenting. Did you talk to God about what you're going through? Did you go it alone? Did you isolate yourself? Did you try to educate yourself or see these challenges from another person's perspective? Did you open up to those closest to you? Your spouse? Your kids? Did you find friends to lean on and get insight from? THINK about how you responded to adversity.

READ John 16:33

There's something comforting and disconcerting both about this verse. We hear from God that we WILL have trouble. *sigh*   And at the same time He shares His peace with us. We are to take heart, to have courage, and in those words we find comfort. SPEND some time talking about your fears. Are you afraid of the future? Of failure? Of weakness? 

Christ's strength comes in acknowledging Him as our leader. Whew! We don't have to carry the responsibility of our kids alone! We also get strength by staying in the scriptures and in prayer. Again, this goes back to being in community with God. He is more than willing to impart His wisdom and peace. There's also strength in loving others as God loves. We can find joy in taking our focus off of our situations and helping those in need. REFLECT on how you've found strength in Christ during times of trouble. SHARE with your small group. Maybe something that's worked for you will inspire others.

READ Luke 22:31-32

What are your first thoughts about this passage? PICK it apart, phrase by phrase, and consider what it means for your own families. PRAY together for your family members in a strategic and specific way.

On Earth as it is in Heaven: Come to Worship

June 13/14, 2015





READ Revelation 4:1-11

Worship = the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity

There's so much in this passage that is worthy of our adoration, and there are others in this scripture who are also worshiping God. FIND the phrases that create a feeling of true awe in you, and SPEND some time discussing them. What surprises you, scares you, inspires you? 

• Do you believe God is in need of your worship?
• Do you expect God to reveal himself during worship?
• How often are you in awe of God? 
• How enthusiastic are you in your participation and adoration? 
• What is God revealing about Himself that is worth your worship? 
• Do you expect to be transformed as you respond to God? 
• How have you been transformed during worship?

READ Revelation 1:9-18

What are we to do when Jesus shows up? In this passage, Paul fell at the feet of Jesus as if he was dead. This is easy to imagine for those of us who are aware of the dark places in our hearts. How can we even be worthy to be in His holy presence? But Jesus says, "Fear not." What would you be most fearful of if you were face-to-face with Jesus?

So, what is Revelation really about? Often it's seen as the story of the end of the world, the great apocalypse. At least, that's what people focus on. But LOOK deeper. Isn't it really about God's grand plan? Throughout the millenia, people have chosen the depths of depravity rather than God. Even so, He has this beautiful design to introduce Himself to people one-by-one beginning as early as Adam and Eve but then again with Abraham and the Israelites and ending with Jesus' revelation. We have a picture of who Jesus is in the Gospels, but even the disciples didn't fully understand Him and they were in His presence. We get a glimpse of who He is in Revelation, but we cannot comprehend who He truly is. How can we really understand that He's the first and the last, that He's eternal, and He has full control over life and death? We may always be in a place of discovery of who Jesus is, this God without edges or limits. And THAT, my friend, is worth our continual adoration. Our fully participating, soul expanding, sacrificial, transformational worship.

This sort of worship flows out of us. We can't hold it in because of the enormity of it all. We become good people from whom good things naturally flow. We LIVE worship when God is central in our lives, when love and truth and His word and His mercy all reign in our souls. These things reflect the nature and character of Jesus as we take steps to know and become like Jesus.

REFLECT on where you're at in your worship. CONSIDER how your life reflects how you keep God at the center of your life. SHARE with others in your group. CELEBRATE where you're at on your journey of worship...the steps you've taken so far really mean something. ASK for feedback on what you may be able to do to take another step in your worship of God. 

On Earth as it is in Heaven: Living Sacrifice

June 6/7, 2015


READ Romans 12:1-2
These two verses are jam packed full of goodness. The word "therefore" in scripture is a way of finding the best words to highlight. We can see this with the Apostle Paul's next words, "I urge you." In other words, "Pay attention, this is the most important part." As distracting as life can be, how likely are you to pay attention to what God is trying to say to you?

"In view of God's mercy...this is your true and proper worship." God's mercy calls us to worship. By definition, mercy is being given a gift you haven't earned or don't deserve. Jesus gave his life to pay for our sins. His own death paid for the death we deserve so that we might have life. This is the greatest mercy of all time. 

There are those who follow Jesus who understand this sort of mercy, the kind you find in the depths of despair. When Jesus pulls you out of a pit so deep you can't crawl out yourself, you are grateful. The natural outpouring of gratitude for mercy this enormous is to worship God. With all your heart. With all your soul. The Apostle Paul understood this sort of mercy. IMAGINE someone in ISIS coming to Christ...that's who Paul was. That's the mercy he received.

There are those who began following Jesus at a very young age who may not understand the depth of despair that others experience, but no one gets through life unscathed. Relationship problems, financial problems, or health problems affect all of us in different ways. We all have the opportunity to reach out to God for His peace and mercy.

Both types of stories involve heavy amounts of God's mercy. Over the past few weeks you have spent time talking about your stories. What have you learned in that time about God's mercy in your life? What has been your response to His mercy? THINK of some of the different ways that we worship?

"To offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God." With your finances and your time and your energy. What does it mean to offer your body as a living sacrifice? How do people sacrifice in different ways? e.g. A mom is up half the night with a sick child. A soldier puts his life on the line to protect others. What other examples can you think of? How do each of you make sacrifices? EXAMINE whether your sacrifices come from a place of gratitude or obligation. EXPLAIN the difference. Is God at the center of your sacrifices?

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed." Wow, isn't it easy for us to be conformed to this world? A person can stand in the checkout line at the supermarket reading headlines and begin making judgments about what he's reading. We get sucked into the drama of Hollywood and peer pressure and what the Jone's are doing next door. There's something within us that is drawn to that sort of thing. But God requires us to be different, to be transformed, to walk away from the drama and the pressure. He calls us to place Him in the center of our lives, not the world. SPEND a few moments reflecting on how the world affects you. What do you get drawn into? What do you reject? At what point of transformation are you?

"Renew your mind." Not free your mind or empty your mind, renew it. Just like we're able to renew our bodies with rest and healthy eating, our minds are similar. They need to rest and reflect, they need to be fed with truth and goodness. 

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, 

whatever is honorable, whatever is just, 

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, 

whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, 

if there is anything worthy of praise, 

think about these things." Philippians 4:8

SHARE with each other how you each renew your minds. How does being God-centered help us become renewed?

"Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Over the past several months, we've talked about the wide road and the narrow road. Lots of people will invite us onto the wide road. It may even seem like the right road to take. How do we know the difference when we're standing at the fork? Left or right? Hmmm....  

Test it. "You will be able to test and approve." Put God first and ask Him. Go to scripture for answers. Listen to your "gut" feeling, aka the Holy Spirit. (You may want to go one way because it's the easier, less painful route; however, your "gut" is telling you to go in the other direction. Remember, the Holy Spirit will never ask you to go against Scripture). Going to God for wisdom, whether it's a big question or a little one, is worship.