I Dare You to Praise - Psalm 30
Faith Talks
1. If you were to record and playback your household's conversations, who would be the recipient of the most praise?
2. According to the teaching today, why is praise so important?
3. What were David’s obstacles to praise in Psalm 30?
4. What truth can you hold onto to overcome the lie that it is better to lower your expectations than to be disappointed again?
Worship is.....? - Psalm 99
Faith Talks:
1. How real is Jesus to you? Has he taken up residence in your heart? Is He the sole object of worship? If not, what are the false god’s that need overthrown? Name them and share them with a trusted friend.
2. Are we ‘verbing’ worshippers? Are there views or practices of worship that we need to repent of? Are there points of legalism we need confess and repent of? If so, name them and share them with a trusted friend.
Raiders of the Lost Praise - Psalm 145
Faith Talks:
1. Read Romans 15:9 & Psalm 42:5, 11. What is the role of praise for the believer & the non-believer?
2. Make a praise list and share it with someone this week. Write down anything about God that fits any/all of these categories:
- His character
- His attributes
- His habitual and/or universal actions (e.g. nature, creation, history, personal action in your life, providence, preservation of life, rescue, salvation, redemption, judgment, personal or communal blessings.)
Life On Life Discipleship
The world needs your messy story
Faith Talks
What’s one area in your life where you’ve seen God redeem a messy part of you?
Try and share with someone (not in your household) this week one way God has changed you.
Life on Life Discipleship
Changed On Mission
Faith Talks
Talk about the times you did something challenging for God and it turned out God used it to change you in some positive way.
Is there anything challenging you think God may be asking you to do that you are running from?
Life on Life Discipleship
Discipleship In the Household
Faith Talks
1-In what ways have you experienced, life on life discipleship that deals with the messy parts of your life?
2-What did you learn through the teaching today about the role of the household in the formation of disciples?
3-What are some steps you can take to make discipleship a central theme of your household?
Life on Life Discipleship
Bring Your Mess
Faith Talks
What fears come up for you when you think about sharing your mess?
Talk about past experiences sharing your mess. Was it positive or negative? What happened to that messy area of your life?
Share 1-2 messy areas in your life with a trusted friend or leader.
Life on Life Discipleship
Life On Life
Faith Talks
Review together the characteristics of the crowds that followed Jesus. Talk about the ways your following Jesus has at times looked too much like the crowd.
Talk together about how your life has been changed (or could be changed) by life-on-life discipleship — how being known in your failure has led you (could lead you) to heart change. What helps/hinders that from happening more?
Reveal Jesus Through Discipleship
Reveal Jesus Through Discipleship
Faith Talks:
What have you learned about the way Jesus leads his disciples that makes you want to follow Him?
What did you learn about the pattern of the disciples that you can identify with? In other words how are you like or not like the original 12 disciples?
What does discipleship look like in your life?
How do you respond to the call to disciple and be discipled. What is Jesus wanting you to do now? What are the next steps you can take this week to start moving in obedience?
Resurrection Realities
Resurrection Realities - Mark 15:42-16:13
Faith Talks
Review the 8 Resurrection Realities. Which ones do you need reminded about most? How you can remind each other of those truths.
Talk about the areas of alarm and unbelief that come as a result of forgetting Resurrection. Pray for each other in those areas that you will experience resurrection power.
When Jesus Arrives
When Jesus Arrives
Mark 11:1-25
Faith Talks
Talk together about times/ways Jesus “rode into your life.” What helped you recognize Him? What hindered you from “receiving” Him?
Talk about some of the bigger mountains/obstacles you are presently experiencing that challenge your faith.
When following Jesus includes failing Jesus
When following Jesus includes failing Jesus
Mark 14:43-72
Faith Talks
The contrast between Jesus and everyone else in today’s teaching makes the point that all of us fail and deny Jesus. How aware are you that you fail and deny Jesus?
Jesus’ example of finding strength by being watchful included leaning into community. Spend time together as a community of faith, talking about and praying together about some of your patterns of failing to follow Jesus.
Discipleship Fail
Discipleship Fail
Mark 14:22-42
Faith Talks
1. How do the central elements of the Bread and the Cup in communion explain how Jesus restores our relationship with God the Father?
2. In this story, the disciples fail Jesus. Their spirits may have been willing but their flesh was weak. Did you know that disciples fail? The question is not will you fail as a disciple but rather how do you respond when you have failed God and others? Do you ignore it,rationalize it, deny it, or work to fix it?
3. Based on this story what do you think Jesus would say to you when you fail?
4. In the garden, what does Jesus do when he is confronted with his spirit being willing but his flesh being weak?
5. What is one way that you desire to be more like Jesus and less like the sleepy disciples?
Stay Awake, Because it’s too easy to fall asleep. Mark 14:1-21
Stay Awake
Because it’s too easy to fall asleep
Mark 14:1-21
Faith Talks
What are the situations/circumstances where you tend to fall asleep spiritually or go “off duty”? (consider times when life is going well as well as when life is not going well.)
What are practices that you do or have heard of that might be helpful to you being more alert/watchful? Are any of these practices ones you might want to embrace for your household? Talk about putting them into practice
Awaiting the King
Awaiting the King
Faith Talks:
Having a Jesus-centered view of the end times is essential to every disciples. Why do you think it’s so easy to miss the central focus of Jesus when it comes to end times? Has you ever gotten caught up in all the speculation of the end times? How did you come to back to staying focused on Jesus?
What do you feel God has entrusted you to do while you wait for His arrival? How do you come to realize what He gave you to do? Share that with 2 others this week.
Hope for the Future
Hope for the Future
Faith Talks:
When you think of your future, what concerns do you have? Do those concerns reveal anything about what you are hoping in?
Read Mark 13:1-13, then talk about any truth in this text that gives you new hope for your future.
Follow Jesus In Stewardship
Follow Jesus In Stewardship
Faith Talks
Jesus talks about loving God with all your heart soul mind and strength. He goes on to use the example of the window giving everything she has in the offering. If Jesus where watching the way you spend your money what would that tell him what you really love?
Often times it's hard to know how to start tithing. Talk as a household about your tithing patterns. What holds you back, or what motivates you to give? Share stories about Gods provision as you've been faithful in giving.
Worship Jesus as True Savior
Worship Jesus as True Savior
Faith Talks:
For Jesus, love is most important. Talk together about the evidence in your life, over the time you have been walking with Jesus, that you have grown in whole-hearted love towards God and others.
Jesus warns us to watch out for the natural tendency to be like the Scribes who live to impress others, who love to be praised by others. Talk together about the ways Jesus is setting you free of being like a Scribe.
Discover Jesus in Scripture
Discover Jesus in Scripture
MARK 12:18-27
Faith Talks:
In Mark 12 Jesus said to the Sadducees, a group of religious leader, “…you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God…you are quite wrong.” That is a pretty stinging rebuke from Jesus to a group of people that prided themselves on know Scripture and knowing God.
- According to the teaching today why is it essential as a disciple of Jesus to know the scriptures and to know the power of God?
- How is your relationship with scripture? What are you doing to cultivate a life of knowing God in scripture?
- The power of God in this story is specifically referring to resurrection from the dead and that is the guarantee of what we call eternal life. How does the truth of life eternal change your perspective on the challenges and strategies for life now?
Follow Jesus In Stewardship - Part 2
Follow Jesus In Stewardship - Part 2
FAITH TALKS
The Pharisees and the Herodians thought that paying taxes didn't have anything to do with their relationship with God. They believed there were sacred/religious areas of life and also that there were common/secular aspects of life that had nothing to do with God or their faith. What are some areas of life that people tend too think are separate from their faith?
Why is it dangerous to think that there are sacred/religious areas of life and also that there are common/secular aspects of life that have nothing to do with God or their faith?
Jesus showed us another way. In this story it was about taxes but the truth is that whatever we do, every aspect of our lives can be an opportunity for worship. What is one area of your life that you would like to see better aligned with worship and why?
Follow Jesus in Stewardship
Follow Jesus in Stewardship
FAITH TALKS
"The big struggles of life are struggles with authority." Talk together to see if that statement is true in your life.
"We can never effectively steward what God has given us until we recognize Him as our authority." Where are you in the process of joyfully yielding all you are to the authority of God? Name the obstacles.
The Making: Discovering Jesus Through His Church - Part 2
The Making: Discovering Jesus Through His Church - Part 2
Faith Talks
What are some ridiculous things you have asked of God? Has He answered any of those requests? What do His answers tell you about the will of God? Talk about this with 2 people this week.
Which of these five statements about Jesus is most true of you because of your faith in Christ? If Jesus were to make you more like Him in one of these areas, which one would need the most attention?
- Jesus loves to answer our requests.
- Jesus always answers according to the will of God.
- Jesus is not held captive the agendas of man.
- Jesus lives out His words.
- Jesus Love to Make the Last First.
The Making: Discover Jesus Through His Church
The Making: Discover Jesus Through His Church
Faith Talks:
The Bible calls us, at times, to be childlike and at times not to be childlike. Talk together about the ways we should and should not be childlike.
Talk about ways in which you want to grow in childlikeness.
The Making: Follow Jesus In Family
THE MAKING: Follow Jesus In Family
Faith Talks
- What challenges do you face when you follow Jesus into your family? What are the obstacles?
- How can Jesus’ new way of thinking about marriage, family, and relationships impact the way you face those obstacles and challenges?
- At Living Faith Alliance Church we value the marriage covenant and graciously care about the pain and aftermath caused by divorce. If you need assistance processing your experience, please take a step toward healing:
Contact our Ministering Elders elders@lfachurch.org
Join the Life’s Healing Choices Class. 8-week class, Sunday 9:00am at CCS upper building room 128. Begins Jan 15, 2017
Consider Divorce Care Ministry https://www.divorcecare.org (group locator) Wednesdays 6-8pm. Begins Jan 25, 2017, Beacon Evangelical Free Church 420 S. 6th Ave, Galloway, NJ 609-748-0001
<< Rewind, Fast Forward >>
<< Rewind, Fast Forward >>
Faith Talks
Talk together about 2016: What memories stand out from this year?
Talk together about 2016: What significant things did Jesus do in your life?
The Story: New Creation
The Story: New Creation
Faith Talks
Think about God restoring perfection to planet Earth; talk about what you most look forward to experiencing on that new Earth.
What do you most long for God to restore (make new) in your life?
The Story: Peace
The Story: Peace
Faith Talks
1. How can you identify with the need for peace?
2. The Angels made it clear that there is a connection between our experience of peace and God being glorified. Can you identify a time in your life when you experienced a loss of peace because you had made something less than God most glorious?
3. From the teaching tonight what did you learn are “the things that make for peace?”
The Story: Redemption - Part 2
The Story: New Creation
Faith Talks:
Talk about a time when God’s light came to your place of darkness.
Talk about any dark places in or around your life — call out to God in prayer that His light of redemption would penetrate that darkness.
The Story: Redemption
The Story: Redemption
Faith Talks:
In the silent nine months leading up to Johns birth Zechariah started to see, understand and believe that they needed a savior and that the savior was coming. In what ways can you practice being still and quiet like Zechariah? What can you do this Christmas to slow down enough to recognize your need for a redeemer?
Zechariah said that Jesus would come and redeem his people. The two things that redemption looks like is a freedom from fear and a freedom to live holy/righteous. In what ways do you need freedom from fear? In what ways do you try to make yourself righteous?
According to this story in Luke what is your redeemer like? What do you think he is able and willing to redeem you?
The Story: Fall
The Story: Fall
Faith Talks
Sin is lawlessness. How does this compare to your own definition of sin? How is it the same or different?
Which phrase describes you best:
- The law I live by asks "what serves me best"
- The law I live by asks "what does God desire"Explain your answer to a trusted friend.
John Piper writes, " Let every heart prepare him room . . . by cleaning house." What are some things that have replaced God in your heart that need to be dethroned? Share them with someone this week.
Try using this reading plan as you prepare to celebrate Christ-mas. "Good news of great joy" link: http://bible.com/r/C7
The Story: Creation
The Story: Creation
Faith Talks
God makes all things good. Talk about the good things you see in each other. What are the unique characteristics of each person in your household?
Ask each person how easy/hard is it to believe what the others have said about you? Are there any of those positive characteristics they listed hard to believe? Why?
Brandon Early
Lead me not into temptation...I can find it myself.
Family Life: Prepare. Event. Debrief. (P.E.D.)
Households ... A Training Environment (part 2)
Faith Talks
Brainstorm together about different scenarios when it might be helpful to use the PED tool. Pick one of them to practice this week.
Talk about two things in your household training environment or culture for which you are grateful to God.
Talk about one pattern in your household you would like to see God change. Pray about it.
Family Life: The Four Foundations
Households ... A Training Environment (part 1)
Faith Talks
If your “household” includes the next generation: talk together about the 4 Foundations. Which one do you want to put into practice in new ways? How will you do that?
If your “household” does not include the next generation: what are ways you could implement the 4 Foundations among the people you do life with? Talk together about steps you want to take, and maybe ways you can include the next generation.
Family Life: Forming Healthy Households
Family Life: Forming Healthy Households
Faith Talks
- What vision for your household or hope for your future is God drawing your attention to from what you heard in the teaching from Deuteronomy 6 and Judges 2?
- What is the warning of from Judges 2 for those leading a household?
- Tim Keller said good things become bad things when they become an ultimate things. In forming a healthy household we tend to get off track when good things become ultimate things. What good thing in your household attempts to become an ultimate thing?
- What are the negative consequences when that good thing becomes an ultimate thing?
- What truth about God do you need to believe, hang on to, and remember in order to keep you from making that good thing and ultimate thing?
Oct 16
Disciples of Jesus lead well
Disciples of Jesus Lead Well
Who is Jesus?, Part 2
Who is Jesus?, Part 2
Who is Jesus?
Who is Jesus? Mark 9:1-13
Faith talks
Talk about the way you imagine Jesus. What picture do you have of Him in your mind? What’s the look on His face? If you saw Him, do you think you would bow before Him in reverence or give Him a hug?
Think of a recent time when you were either worried, tempted, or disappointed. How did knowing Jesus effect the way you walked through that situation?
Discover and Follow Jesus - Part 2 Mark 8:27-38
Discover and Follow Jesus - Part 2. Mark 8:27-38
FAITH TALKS
In Mark 8, the disciples hear about Jesus’ sufferings, death, resurrection, and second coming for the first time. They also hear that they are to deny themselves and carry the cross for the first time. Why do you think Peter struggled with this? Are any of his struggles the same as your struggles? Explain.
When was the last time you discovered & treasured something about Jesus? Share that story with 2 people.
What are your three biggest obstacles in following Jesus into every are of life? Ask 2 friends to pray for you this week.
Discover and Follow Jesus Mark 8:11-26
Faith Talks
Pastor Nate talked about the “means of discovering Jesus” — the ways or places where God speaks to us and takes away our blindness (personal Bible reading, TFL, Bible studies, sermons, Christian music). Talk about your practices of discovering Jesus. Talk about steps you want to take to receive more.
Parents, leaders, friends are the “means” of revelation for people in their life. How much do you see yourself as the “means” of revelation for other people? Pray for each other that God would use you to reveal Jesus to others and that God would take away blindness.
Celebrating 20 Years
20 Year Celebration!
Reveal Jesus: Getting It Right
Reveal Jesus: Getting It Right - Mark 8:1-10
Faith Talks
For Jesus to be revealed to our friends, they must experience the miracle of revelation and faith. Pray together specifically for those two things over people in your life who need Jesus.
We learned from the Feeding of the 4000 that bread has to be broken before it blesses others. Talk about what Jesus may be breaking in your life. How are you responding? How do you need to cooperate? Pray for each other.
Follow Jesus to Freedom
Follow Jesus to Freedom - Mark 7:23-37
Discover Jesus In Worship
The Making: Mark 7:1-23
The Making: It's all about Jesus
The Making: It's all about Jesus. Mark 6:30-56
The Making: Reveal Jesus on Mission
Reveal Jesus on Mission
Discover Jesus as True Savior - Mark 5:21-43
Discover Jesus as True Savior - Mark 5:21-43
Reveal Jesus Through Your Gospel Story
Reveal Jesus Through Your Gospel Story
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