Discover Jesus

Vision: Thanksgiving Essentials

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THANKSGIVING ASSESSMENT

1. Would the people who live nearest to you characterize you as a complaining person or a thankful person?

2. When you look at your world, do you find yourself celebrating God's common grace?

3. Do you view yourself as one who has been constantly short-changed and or do you view yourself as one who has been unfairly showered with blessings?

4. Do you choose to focus your communication on what is broken and wrong or do you tend to communicate what is beautiful and good?

5. What is your tendency? In your relationships, are you encouraging friends and family to continue their grumbling or are you encouraging friends and family to find reasons to give thanks to God?

6. What is your tendency? In your relationships, do you find yourself frequently tearing others down or do you find yourself frequently building others up?

7. What is your plan to cultivate the discipline that Paul calls Thanksgiving? 

Vision: Discover & Treasure Jesus

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Faith Talks:

Please set aside at least 10 minutes this week as a household to have an honest talk about what God spoke to you in the sermon today.

1.We are called to lay aside every weight and sin. Over the next week or two take 1-3 hours to get alone with God.  Ask God to reveal to you the weights and sins in your  life that would hinder you from running well. Write them all down and create a plan with the Lord to change those things. 

2. When you think about the cloud of witnesses and Jesus cheering you on in your race, how does that make you feel? 

3. How can you let the truth that you play a crucial part in God's plan for redeeming all things impact the way you live everyday?

Vision: Lead Like Jesus

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Faith Talks:

1.  If Jesus has such a high view of what we can become in Him, why do we consistently keep selling ourselves short?  Name 2 ways you sell yourself short. 

2, Are there any areas of your life that are either off limits, or have not be submitted (surrendered) to the Lordship authority of Jesus Christ? What are they, and why are they off limits? 

When it feels like Jesus isn't showing up...

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Faith Talks

According to the teaching this morning in what way DID the arrival of Jesus bring peace on earth?

According to the teaching this morning in what way WILL Jesus bring even more peace?

What can you do to grow in your awareness and experience of the peace that Jesus offers?

Begging for Jesus' Arrival

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Faith Talks

Talk together about the times and situations where you are most tempted to become self-focused and selfish. If necessary, ask each other for forgiveness and pray for each other.

Talk together about people in your life who might be in need of a selfless act of kindness from you — make plans for what you can do for them over this week leading to Christmas.

What kind of people qualify for Jesus' Arrival?

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Faith Talks

What are some things you were hoping God would do for you?  Commit to making these things  a daily prayer list.  Try matching these desires with specific Scriptures.  

Pick one day a week to fast  during Advent - feel what hunger feels like.  Do you long for God like you long for food ?  

Carve out a 15 minute block one a week to be in silence with God.   Ask Him to speak to you, and just listen for Him in your heart.

What is it like when Jesus Arrives?

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Faith Steps

What are some things you were hoping God would do for you?  Commit to making these things  a daily prayer list.  Try matching these desires with specific Scriptures.  

Pick one day a week to fast  during Advent - feel what hunger feels like.  Do you long for God like you long for food ?  

Carve out a 15 minute block one a week to be in silence with God.   Ask Him to speak to you, and just listen for Him in your heart. 

When Jesus Arrives

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Faith Steps

What are some things you were hoping God would do for you?  Commit to making these things  a daily prayer list.  Try matching these desires with specific Scriptures.  

Pick one day a week to fast  during Advent - feel what hunger feels like.  Do you long for God like you long for food ?  

Carve out a 15 minute block once a week to be in silence with God.   Ask Him to speak to you, and just listen for Him in your heart. 

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Faith Talks

  1. Talk together about the clear signs in your life that you live (or don’t live) under the authority of Jesus, the Great King.
  2. Talk together about steps you can take to grow in your fascination for King Jesus.

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. 

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. 

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

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.