7/29/2019 Sermon and Devotional Guide - Week Two
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CONNECT (Consider & Share)
1. Have you ever made a resolution to get healthy? What did you
do, and how did it turn out? Briefly share.
GROW (Discuss and Learn)
Read Genesis 35:1-3
2. The Lord was concerned. He challenged Jacob and his family to
move toward him to become more spiritually
healthy. Their first step as a household was to get rid of
foreign gods/idols. An idol is anything or anyone that holds
more prominence for us than Christ. What tugs at your heart for
attention and pulls you away from God? What are
some practical steps you can take to remove those idols?
3. Jacobs household was then told to purify themselves, which
involved the actual physical process of cleansing and
putting on clean clothes. How might we go about becoming clean
spiritually?
4. 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us that the eyes of the Lord range
throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts
are fully committed to him. Do you have any areas in your life
that cry for repentance - allowing your heart to be
more committed to the Lord?
5. Thirdly, Jacob builds an altar and worships God. Psalm 43:4
says: Then I will goto the altarof God, to God, my
joyand my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my
God. Do you take time during your day and/or week to
come before God to praise Him? Do you make it a priority to do
this as a family? Why or why not?
6. How does one delight and take joy in God? Think about other
relationships that bring you the most joy. What makes
them different? How can you deepen your relationship with God so
that there might be true praise and joy?
SERVE (Apply and Take Action) (break into groups of 3 or 4
people)
7. Consider a time of confession and repentance (acknowledging
idols, impurities, sinfulness) followed by a time of
forgiveness and thanksgiving (extending mercies, blessings,
gratitude).
8. Read Colossians 1:9-10. Adopt this prayer for one another in
the group as well as for other believers. Then pray for
one another as the Spirit leads and prompts.
Dont forget to consider subgrouping!
(groups of 3-4 people)
move in ::a sermon discussion guide
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7/29/2019 Sermon and Devotional Guide - Week Two
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move in ::a daily devotional guide
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be sure to check out this weeks video atwww.gorichwoods.org!
Sunday, February 24 - Joshua 7:13
Idols (devoted things) are the things and people that pull us
away from God. Take a moment to reflect on the various
compartments of your life. Do any idols begin to surface based
on your level of attention to them? As a symbolic act of
consecration, write down your idols and bring them before
God.
Monday, February 25 - Nehemiah 8:10
What is the focus of the celebration he is referring to?
Nehemiah says to share gifts with those who have not. Have you
experienced the joy of giving to others? Reflect on your why
this is so important for us. Pray for opportunities to share.
Tuesday, February 26 - Psalm 42:1-4
What a vivid picture of the Psalmist longing for God. What do
you thirst for? Meditate on this scripture and, over time if
necessary, seek to experience such intense longing for God. How
will you satisfy the thirst of your soul?
Wednesday, February 27 - Hebrews 12:1
If you have ever had the opportunity to run in a race, you know
there are obstacles that can make the race more
challenging (e.g. passing slow runners, having your shoes come
untied, not having the right gear for the race, etc.). These
are hindrances. In a similar way, sin hinders us in the race we
call life. Paul exhorts us to throw offeverything that
hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us so that we can
run our race well. What junk gets in your way and slows
you down? Will you throw these things off? Will you run the race
God has marked out for you as if to win the prize?
Thursday, February 28 - Ephesians 5:15-17
This passage has a sense of urgency. What tends to rob you of
your time, and therefore opportunity? Have you ever found
yourself spending an entire evening or weekend watching TV, in
front of the computer, or playing a video game? While
none of these items are bad in-and-of themselves, they can turn
into a huge waste of time. Imagine for a moment how
God might use you to affect eternity if you were able to take
some of those hours and use them for his purposes.
Friday, March 1 - Romans 12:2
This passage suggests that as a believer you are to be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. How does one renew
their mind? In the Psalms we are often exhorted to meditate on
Gods word. Do you take time to read and refl
ect onGods Word? Take time today to read from the Psalms - find
a passage and meditate on it. At the end of the day, consider
how it effected your day.
Saturday, March 2 - Matthew 11:15; Luke 8:21
Jesus repeats the phrase whoever has ears, let them hear many
times. When we believe in Christ, our ears are opened
to him, but they must be developed to fully understand. Our
spiritual health is dependent upon our hearing and
understanding. Do you take time to be still and hear from your
Savior? How about putting his words into practice? Do
you walk in obedience to what you hear? Think and pray on these
things for a few minutes.
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