Wednesday PM, April 8: Beauty for Ashes - Wk2
MESSAGE VIDEO:
ZOOM GROUPS:
LIVE 6:45-7:15pm
Each small group will be meeting separately each week!
For all links and codes, click
HERE
BOTTOMLINE THIS WEEK:
Spiritual growth is slow and steady not peaks and valleys.
James 4:8
“Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”
All other scripture references in this lesson:
Psalm 34:1; Hebrews 4:16; Matthew 4:4
They say hindsight is 20/20. I think this is true for sure, but don’t you wish that the present were also 20/20? What we do know to be true is that God’s vantage point is perfect; it is 20/20 so to speak. Then if we just learn to see like He does then we too can see in this present time perfectly. I think that requires a spiritual lens, because our God is spiritual.
Have you ever been guilty of wondering where God was at in the middle of something? Have you ever realized after the fact that God was doing things in a hard moment that you never imagined? If you are like me, I have struggled with God on numerous occasions throughout my life wondering what in the world He was doing. Time has always made me feel bad about my doubts and fears from those moments. I think this is the cause of my “roller coaster” of a spiritual journey. If I were to track my spiritual journey on a graph it would look like a really bad heart rhythm full of peaks and valleys. God has not and does not operate like that. I think we can learn, in this time like no other, to “flatten the curve” of our journey and gain a proper perspective in these moments. I think we can look back on this time and say we grew in confidence instead of losing confidence. Slow and steady this is our Lord’s pace. Let us learn to join Him!
CONSIDER ASKING FOR CONVERSATION:
-What did you hear tonight?
-What have been some of you highest and lowest spiritual moments?
(Spiritual conversation is of such high value as a family. Take time to really think about the moments you have all been through. Point out even from the lows that God was always at work.)
-Why or How is this time we are currently in a moment to grow spiritually like no other?
(I cannot get over the glaring gift of a life forced to slow down! Yes, we are missing many things, yet we are being handed an opportunity at the same time. I have never known any time like this in my life! We can miss God and doubt Him and wrestle with Him over it all… but doesn’t our past valleys help us to know He will be faithful again?
What if we could look back on this time and not feel bad about doubting God, but feel good because we just knew He would do amazing things!
)
-How is slow and steady better than peaks and valleys for our spiritual journey?
(Discuss this thought and maybe look into how often the scripture uses terminology that points to slow and steady. Like, “Walk” in the Spirit. Pray for, our “DAILY” bread. “Pray always… Praise Always” each phrases that speak to consistency in our journey.)
FAMILY CHALLENGE:
How can we SEEK His face, STUDY His Word, and SING His praise together?
WORSHIP:
We create a playlist for each series on Spotify that has songs that go along with our messages!
Our staff has also compiled a playlist of our favorite worship songs for you!
BIBLE PLAN:
We are starting a new Bible plan on Youversion tonight that relates to our new series. Click this link to join our group and read with us!
As a family… use this time of “distancing” to connect. Thank the people in your lives who are people who will love you well. Call out in you the areas that you need correcting! Pray for them and pray to be able to be that kind of person for someone else… pointing others toward Jesus!
THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING US WITH YOUR STUDENTS. WE PRAY THIS NIGHT AND THIS RESOURCE PROVIDES GREAT CONVERSATION THAT POINTS YOU ALL TOWARD CHRIST!
