09 Sep Fake News | Part 3 “The Unhindered Llife”
Reminder: Small Group Leader Meeting, Tuesday,September 11 at 6:30p
We have 10 out of the 15 completed. You can view the 15 Wishes by clicking here: 15for15
You can help support a wish or help send someone to Guatemala by clicking here: Wishes and Guatemala
Continue to pray for the Diamond Hill Property for Woonsocket so they can have a permanent home.
We are collecting new and used clothes to help bless poverty stricken areas in South America. Start collecting and we will tell you where and when to drop them off soon!
Key Verse: Colossians 1:24- 2:5 ESV
SERIES THEME VERSE
SEE TO IT THAT NOT ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE BY PHILOSOPHY AND EMPTY DECEIT, ACCORDING TO HUMAN TRADITION, ACCORDING TO THE ELEMENTAL SPIRITS OF THE WORLD, AND NOT ACCORDING TO CHRIST.
WHAT IS AN UNHINDERED LIFE?
An unhindered life is a life surrendered to God’s service. It is living a life no one can stop. Our world has the idea that no one can stop our dreams from happening. We should dream, but our dreams must align with God’s vision. We need to make sure that what we have is more powerful than a dream. A surrendered life says ‘God, whatever you want me to do, I will do’. A surrendered life says ‘I’m not sure exactly what the future holds, but you know the end from the beginning’; and so he can take what we don’t expect and the things we think should not have happened in our lives and he can re-manufacture them for his ultimate plan and purpose in our lives and we will end up living the dream God had in mind for us all along no matter what people do to try to do to stop it.
Q. What is a something in your life that you did not expect to happen the way it did, and how did God use that so that you ended up living the dream and for the purposes he had for you?
1. AN UNHINDERED LIFE CONTAINS JOY IN SUFFERING.
Paul’s dream was to be the most powerful Pharisee and someone important in his community. He was so zealous to live his dream that he killed others who did not believe the way he did. Then Jesus came to him and now he dreamed of making Christians instead of killing them. Paul now suffered and was given a purpose in his suffering. Jesus can give us a purpose to suffer.
In his suffering, Paul says rejoice!
Q. What suffering has caused you to rejoice because you knew it was for God’s purpose in your life?
THREE SOURCES OF PAUL’S JOY
1. PAUL KNEW HE WAS LIVING FOR SOMETHING BIGGER THAN HIMSELF.
We will never learn this if all we think about is how to make ourselves happy. We have got to live for someone other than ourselves. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. There is happiness in laying down our lives for other people. There was a point to Paul’s suffering. .
We heard about Jesus because Paul suffered over 2000 years ago. As Christians we suffer so others can be born again.
Q. What sufferings have you endured so someone else could know Jesus or what has someone else suffered so that you could know Jesus?
2. PAUL KNOWS HE DOES NOT DESERVE WHAT HE HAS BEEN GIVEN.
Entitlement and depression have a connection. The more we feel we deserve, the more depressed we become. Who says we deserve anything? We need to be careful not to feed into the entitlement lure of our culture, especially if we have children.
God chose Paul and assigned him to run the house of God. God chooses us. We are not entitled or deserving.
What we get is a gift from God. We cannot let envy come in.
Q. What are some things that you thought you deserved, were entitled to or envious of and how has your thinking changed as you grow in Christ? Why is it so important that we understand that every good thing we receive is from Him?
3. PAUL KNOWS HIS MAIN PURPOSE IS TO PROCLAIM JESUS.
God orchestrates events so we can help others find Jesus.
Q. What events in your life brought you to Jesus? Can you look back and see what things have happened or what people you may have met that led you to where you are now in Christ?
2. A LIFE UNHINDERED CONTAINS DIVINE POWER IN STRUGGLING.
1. PAUL STRUGGLES FOR THE RIGHT THINGS.
We need to pick our battles. We need to struggle for things that matter.
Q. What are some things you have battled over that have no value, that do not really matter and why is important for us not do fight over things that do not matter?
We should mind our own business. At work, we should get our work done not meddle into other people’s affairs. Struggle with what matters, eternal life; our children respecting the Lord etc.
2. PAUL STRUGGLES IN THE POWER GOD GIVES HIM.
God will supernaturally charge yours struggle. Pastor Tim had given us an example of the time when he first prayed for someone else. God had given him the words through the Holy Spirit and he was able to pray for this person.
Q. How has God supernaturally charged your struggle? What fears or apprehensions have you had where God had empowered you do to something you would not or could not do otherwise?
3. AN UNHINDERED LIFE CONTAINS EXPECTATION IN CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES.
Challenging circumstances come in a way we may not expect. When we become Christians, the world, the flesh and the devil become our enemies. The devil is going to come after us. Hold on when challenging circumstances come and believe that God is going to work.
PRAY FOR EACH OTHER, THE LOST, WOONSOCKET AND OTHER UPCOMING CAMPUSES, THE CHURCH, THE NATION AND LEADERS AND 15 WISHES AND GUATEMALA MISSION.
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