Relatable
Relatable
I hear so often “You just don’t know what I’m going through”, or “you don’t understand”. Many times that’s used as an excuse to continue to stand behind the wall that you’ve built. However I do believe that I truly don’t understand everything. I have never been in a divorced home so I don’t understand what you may feel. I have never experienced the loss of a parent or sibling. I don’t have an understanding of what you are feeling on the inside. Each one of us have a different story, we come from different backgounds and situations, different cultures. Sometimes we feel isolated in our problems. Like we are the only one that can truly understand. The good news is that Jesus knows exactly what you are going through because He went through it as well. Jesus experienced everything we will ever experience when He was on the cross. Jesus put that feeling to death for us, so that we can overcome it!
Truth:
Hebrews 4:14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Share:
What are some struggles you have in your life that have made you feel isolated?
(I know this is a hard thing to talk about but this is where we as Christians can help each other!)
Overcome
In the book of revelation chapter 12 it says “11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Who did they overcome? The wicked one, or Satan. This is a key that we can use to overcome Satan’s attack in our life, first by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and the blood he shed on the cross took away our sins forever. Second thing was the word of their testimony. Your testimony is the story of what God has done in your life, beginning with the way you came to know Him. And third, they loved not their lives unto the death. To overcome Satan you must be willing to die to yourself, in order for Christ to live strong in you. If you do these things, you can overcome any of the enemies’ attacks.
Truth:
1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Share:
What do you think it means to “die to yourself”?
Share a personal testimony of what God has done for you!
Spiritual Underwear
Underwear
Whether you wear boxers, boxer briefs, whitey tighties, bikini, granny, or a thong, the first thing you do when you get dressed is put on your underwear, well the majority of us do (we aren’t gross like that). Just as your underwear is the foundation of your apparel, praise and worship to God is the foundation of your daily walk with God. Isaiah 61:3 says to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. To praise simple means to give thanks and it will take away everything that weighs you down. If you’re feeling pressure to do well in school, pressure to perform well in a sport or activity, pressure to do things that you know don’t agree with the word of God, pressure in living up to your parents expectations of you or to what your brother or sister accomplished, just begin to praise God and all of the things weighing you down will lift off of you in the presence of God. Matthew 11:28 says “Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29 Place my yoke over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves 30 because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” By starting your day with praise to God, and continuing your praising attitude throughout the day, the pressure will disappear and be replaced with the presence of God.
Truth:
Isaiah 61:3 says to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29 Place my yoke over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves 30 because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Share:
Is there a particular worship song that always changes your mood or strengthens you? Why?
What is a specific time when worshiping God completely changed your outlook?
Hold On
Hold On
I recently read a story of Thomas Edison, the guy who made it possible for you to hear people talking on movies not just see them, not to mention the light bulb, in which his son tells of a time where Edison could have given up. Edison was working on a particular invention that wasn’t working and nearly lost everything he had in the process. Late one night, Edison heard a cry from the other end of the plant saying “FIRE”. Spontaneous combustion had broken out in one of the rooms causing a huge fire. Firemen from eight surrounding towns gathered to fight this amazing fire. The interesting thing about this story is Edison’s attitude about the blaze. As he watched everything he had worked for burn to the ground, He gathered everyone he knew to see the amazing fire saying “You’ll never see a fire like this again”. The very next morning Edison began to make plans to rebuild. There are times in our life where it seems everything we have worked for has burned to the ground. In that time we need to know that Jesus never said this walk would be easy, but he did say that we would win. John 16:33 says “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Jesus was telling his disciples this very thing. As the song says “Though my world may fall I’ll never let you go.” In spite of the things this world may bring, in the middle of what feels like hell, hold on, because in the end the Jesus in you will win.
Truth:
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Share:
Have you ever felt like you world was crashing down? What happened?
How can you use the things you know of God (your faith) to overcome challenges in your life?
Conversation
A few years ago I was setting tile at an elderly gentleman’s house and began to have a conversation with him about his relationship with his wife. She was in a wheelchair and her mind was so far gone that she wasn’t even able to speak. He made a statement to me that changed the way I look at things. He said “The thing I miss most is talking to her, because we were very close.” At first it broke my heart, but then God began to speak to me. He said “This is how it is with my children.” Again, this broke my heart. To think that all God wants is to talk to you. If you’ll remember, when God created Adam and Eve, he walked with them every day, just to talk. The man said, “We were very close.” What does he mean by were? When you don’t talk to someone on a regular basis, you have no insight into their lives, you don’t know what they’re thinking, or their opinions concerning certain matters. When you cut off your conversation with God, you take steps away from Him, and before long God says, the thing I miss most is talking to them, we were very close.
Truth:
James 2:23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.
Share:
Do you think of yourself as a “Friend of God?” Why or Why Not?
What things keep you from talking to Him?
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