Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 8.28.10.

The book of Ephesians
Essentials for Intentional Families
Steve Stroope, Author and Guest Speaker
August 28 & 29, 2010

And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. EPHESIANS 6:4 (NASB)

How to Lead Your Family

1. A Leader C_____________ Purpose and C_________ Vision.

4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” DEUTERONOMY6:4-5 (NASB)

2. A Leader I_______________ an Effective Strategy.

7 “And you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” DEUTERONOMY6:7-9 (NASB)

3. A Leader L_______________ the Vision.

“And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.” DEUTERONOMY 6:6 (NAS)

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NASB)

All Scripture is from the New American Standard Bible.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

ICEBREAKER: Who did you want to be like when you grew up? What did you admire about that person? In what ways did that person impact your life?

1. What did you think about God as a child? Since we know that approximately 45% of our church attendees were not previously going to church (before attending CedarCreek), at what age did you stop being interested in learning about God?

2. Who shaped your view of God during your childhood? How did their knowledge (or lack of knowledge) about God effect your life?

3. How did your parents handle spiritually-related discussions when you were growing up? Describe your spiritual development as a child and what you wish could have been done differently?

4. This weekends, guest speaker, Steve Stroope, discussed the importance of creating “intentional families.” What does being an “intentional family” mean to you? If you were to be part of an intentional family, how could that potentially change your life as well as the lives of future generations?

5. The process of becoming an intentional family cannot occur unless there is intentional leadership. Steve identified three things that intentional leaders do in their home:
a. A leader clarifies purpose and casts vision.
b. A leader implements an effective strategy.
c. A leader lives the vision.
When you look at the three characteristics of what leaders do in their homes, which ones are you doing well? Which ones do you need to improve?

News you can use!
This weekend, we kicked off our new HomePointe Family Ministries. The purpose of HomePointe is to assist you in building strong families by providing resources to reinforce Godly principles in your home. HomePointe resources are for everyone – whether you are single, married, single (again) – with or without children. There is a HomePointe Resource Center at each campus as well as a list of upcoming HomePointe classes and seminars designed to build strong families. Stop by HomePointe during the weekend services!

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of August.)
May you experience the love of Christ, though
it is too great to understand fully. Then you will
be made complete with all the fullness of life
and power that comes from God.
EPHESIANS 3:19 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 8.21.10.

The Book of Ephesians
Essentials for Great Marriages
Lee Powell, Senior Pastor
August 21 & 22, 2010

So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. EPHESIANS 5:33

Energizing Cycle: How to Spell Love to Your Wife
C________________ She wants to be close.
O________________ She wants you to open up to her.
U________________ Don’t try to “fix” her, just listen.
P________________ She wants you to say “I’m Sorry.”
L________________ She needs to know you’re committed.
E________________ She wants you to honor and cherish her.

Energizing Cycle: How to Spell Respect to Your Husband
C________________ Appreciate his desire to work and achieve.
H________________ Appreciate his desire to protect and provide.
A________________ Appreciate his desire to serve and lead.
I_________________ Appreciate his desire to analyze and counsel.
R________________ Appreciate his desire for shoulder to shoulder friendship.
S________________ Appreciate his desire for sexual intimacy.

Note: Energized cycles taken from Love & Respect
Resources: Love & Respect, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs; Love Dare, Stephen Kindrich & Alex Kendrick
Scripture is from the New Living Translation.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. While Ephesians 5 is known as the “godly marriage chapter,” Ephesians 5:1-21 pertains to how every individual should handle interpersonal relationships – no matter if you are single or married! In what ways do you handle your relationships with others in a godly manner? How do you need to improve?

2. How does the manner in which we handle our interpersonal relationships impact whether or not people consider us genuine Christ-followers?

3. In this weekend’s message, Lee made reference to two acronyms: COUPLE and CHAIRS. These two acronyms characterize how husbands and wives can spell out love to each other. If you are married, review COUPLE and CHAIRS with your spouse. What’s going well? What do you need to improve?

4. Ephesians 5:33 was this weekend’s key verse. What does it mean for a husband to love his wife? What does it really mean for the wife to respect her husband? Describe some practical ways to demonstrate each.

Additional Questions for Married Couples:
What is your greatest hope or dream?
What do you enjoy the most about your life right now?
What do you enjoy the least about your life right now?
What would your dream job be if you could do anything and get paid for it?
What are some things you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t had the opportunity yet?
What three things would you like to do before the next year passes?
(You can get more of these questions in this week’s Living It Out Bible study)

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of August.)
May you experience the love of Christ, though
it is too great to understand fully. Then you will
be made complete with all the fullness of life
and power that comes from God.
EPHESIANS 3:19 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 8.14.10.

The Book Of Ephesians
Essentials For: Church Growth
Lee Powell, Senior Pastor
August 14 & 15, 2010

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. EPHESIANS 4:3

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and the teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build the body of Christ… EPHESIANS 4:11-12

Four Agreements: (Four Unifying Statements)

We Agree…
…that the C_______ of the C_________ is the greatest cause on the planet. (MATTHEW 28:19-20, MATTHEW 6:33, ACTS 1:8)

However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. EPHESIANS 4:7

We Agree…
…to do A__________ short of sin to R______ people who don’t know Christ.
(1 CORINTHIANS 9:22, 10:33)

Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” MATTHEW 9:10-11

We Agree…
…that the church can N______ B__ too big! (ACTS 1:8, MATTHEW 28:19-20)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ACTS 1:8

We Agree…
…to be an example of Jesus’ L____ B_______ and B_______ the walls of CedarCreek. (MATTHEW 5:16, PHILLIPIANS 2:2)

Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone – especially to those in the family of faith. GALATIANS 6:10

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. EPHESIANS 4:32

All scripture is from the New Living Translation.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. In this weekend’s message, the goal was for you to see how church growth and church unity are intrinsically tied together. What role do you play in being unified with the mission, vision and values of CedarCreek Church? Likewise, discuss individual behaviors that would detract from establishing unity?

2. For some reason, there are people who do not think that churches should grow past certain limits. Are there any Biblical reasons why a church could justify not experiencing growth? Additionally, why can a church never become too big?

3. Church growth would be severely hindered if the members are not unified in purpose. At CedarCreek, we have a series of unifying statements called “The Four Agreements.” How do these four agreements keep our church unified? Why is that unity so very important?

4. Can you think of something CedarCreek has done over the years that has surprised you? One of our most provocative agreements is that we will do anything short of sin to reach people for Christ. Some people have mistakenly assumed that we mean that “anything goes” – which is not the case! What does this particular agreement really mean?

5. One of our agreements is that we agree to be an example of Jesus’ love, behind and beyond the walls of CedarCreek. However, many people question why we would go overseas to help the poor when there are large numbers of poor in our community. How would you respond to someone who asks that question?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of August.)
May you experience the love of Christ, though
it is too great to understand fully. Then you will
be made complete with all the fullness of life
and power that comes from God.
EPHESIANS 3:19 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 8.7.10.

The Book of Ephesians
Essentials for: Spiritual Maturity
Ben Snyder, Teaching Pastor
August 7 & 8, 2010

Ephesians 3
14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Stages of Life:
1. I_________ – becoming A________
2. C_______ – learning the B________
3. T____________ – becoming S_____ S______________
4. A_______ – living out Y_____ U________ P__________
5. P_________ – R________ and T__________

Maturity = acting Y_____ A____ and P_____________ for what is to come

Immaturity = refusing to P__________ or trying to F_____-F___________

Spiritual Maturity = Ephesians 5:1-2

All scripture is from the New Living Translation.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. What is the craziest excuse you’ve ever given to justify something you should have done or something you neglected to do?

2. What stage of your life forced you to mature as a person the most?

3. Who would you describe as spiritually mature?

4. Often times we look for the external measures of maturity. What are those typical behaviors? According to Ephesians, maturity is more than just external. What statements are made in the text to help us understand the internal nature of maturing spiritually?

5. One of the key characteristics of Spiritual Maturity was being “rooted and established” in Christ’s love, meaning that we love others in the same manner that God loves us. First, review how God demonstrates his love for you? Now, how should that impact the way we interact with others? Is that reflected in your life?

6. From your perspective what keeps people from growing forward in their Spiritual Maturity?

7. For most of us it is easier to measure spiritual maturity in the simple accomplishments such as what we know, read, and do. Becoming a spiritual parent, or as Jesus commanded “making disciples” comes with challenges. What are those challenges? What are the possible rewards?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of August.)
May you experience the love of Christ, though
it is too great to understand fully. Then you will
be made complete with all the fullness of life
and power that comes from God.
EPHESIANS 3:19 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 7.31.10.

The Book of Ephesians
Essentials for Personal Salvation
Lee Powell, Senior Pastor
July 31 & August 1, 2010

His Grace: S________ Us

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. EPHESIANS 2:8, 9

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is – free and undeserved. ROMANS 11:6

S_________________ Us

You know what I was like …I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it…God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace… GALATIANS 1:13-15

(Read also MATTHEW 20:1-16 parable of Vineyard workers)

S_______ Us

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him… LUKE 15:20

S____________ Us

…Remember, he has identified you as his own, (has put his seal on you) guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. EPHESIANS 4:30

S___________________ Empowers Us

By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. EPHESIANS 3:7

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. EPHESIANS 4:7 (NIV)

In his grace, God has given us different gifts… ROMANS 12:6

S_______________ Us

Together as one body…members of God’s family. Together, we are his house…carefully joined together in Him… EPHESIANS 2:19-21

S_____________ Us

…grace and peace. EPHESIANS 1:2

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 1 CORINTHIANS 16:23

“my grace is all you need…” 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9

All scripture from New Living Translation unless otherwise noted. NIV = New International Version.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. At CedarCreek, we talk about God’s grace all of the time! However, what can happen to our faith when we begin viewing God’s grace as commonplace rather than a life-giving essential element in our lives?

2. This weekend, Lee pointed out all of the things that grace does in the life of a Christ-follower. Review this weekend’s sermon notes and discuss the aspect of grace that you need to experience more of in your life.

3. Have you ever thought about the way that God’s grace injects an element of marvelous surprise into your life? Share about a time when certain events were unfolding in an unfortunate way, but God intervened in a manner that was unexpected – and undeserved.

4. One of the ideas Lee spoke about this week was that God’s grace sustains us in times of great stress or difficulty. There are times when God allows suffering to come into ourselves. It is during those times when we can make the choice to lean into God’s grace for comfort and strength. Discuss a time when you experienced God’s grace during a time of tremendous suffering.

One final thought…We cannot talk about God’s grace and not talk about our upcoming 15th anniversary celebration! CedarCreek Church exists as a reflection of God’s unmerited grace and mercy. There’s nothing that any of us could have done to deserve what God has done in this place as well as in each one of our hearts! Come and celebrate with us on Friday September 10th at the Huntington Arena in downtown Toledo!

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of August.)
May you experience the love of Christ, though
it is too great to understand fully. Then you will
be made complete with all the fullness of life
and power that comes from God.
EPHESIANS 3:19 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 7.24.10.

The Book of Ephesians
Essentials for: Spiritual Wisdom
Kyle Gray, Teaching Pastor
July 24 & 25, 2010

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, EPHESIANS 1:3

. . . that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, EPHESIANS 1:17

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! PSALM 111:10

The K___________ to wisdom is how we apply

K________________________________.

W__________________ wisdom is all about M_____.

S______________________ wisdom is learning how to cope with it N____________ being about M_____.

All Scripture is from the English Standard Version.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

ICEBREAKER: What is the dumbest thing you have ever done?

1. Who is the wisest person you know? What makes that person so wise?

2. There are a lot of smart people in the world who end up doing dumb things. Therefore, being intelligent doesn’t always yield wisdom. After listening to this weekend’s message, what makes a person truly wise?

3. The key phrase of this weekend’s message is “spiritual wisdom.” What is the difference between being a Christ-follower that incorporates spiritual wisdom into everyday life and the Christ-follower who still applies human wisdom?

4. Can you think of some examples where earthly wisdom conflicts with spiritual wisdom? For example: Earthly wisdom dictates we should repay evil for evil, but God’s wisdom says that we are to love our enemies. Can you think of any other examples and why God’s wisdom is ultimately best for us?

5. We learned that wisdom is more than just intellectual comprehension. Spiritual wisdom must include application of God’s truths to our lives. When do you struggle to apply God’s wisdom to your life? If you applied God’s wisdom – knowing that He wants what is ultimately best for you – how do you think your life would be affected?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of July.)
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for
will actually happen; it gives us assurance
about things we cannot see.
HEBREWS 11:1 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 7.17.10.

Classics: Gideon
Lee Powell, Senior Pastor
July 17 & 18, 2010

Life Lessons from the Calling of Gideon

His S______________________ Before God

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”JUDGES 6:12

…children of God. JOHN 1:12 …His own holy people…1 CORINTHIANS 1:2

…Christ’s ambassadors…2 CORINTHIANS 5:20 …friends of God…ROMANS 5:11

His C_____________________________

…“Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites…JUDGES 6:14

…go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…MATTHEW 28:19

God has given each of you a gift…use them well to serve one another…1 PETER 4:10

…I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:7

…Then you will learn to know God’s will for you . . .ROMANS 12:2

His O__________________________

“But Lord…how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest…and I am the least in my entire family!”JUDGES 6:15

My Excuse(s) . . .

His R__________________________

The Lord said to him, “I will be with you…”JUDGES 6:16

…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” MATTHEW 28:20

…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you”. ACTS 1:8

His S____________

…“If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign…prove it to me this way…Let me make just one more request…JUDGES 6:17, 36-39

“…Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority…But Jesus replied, “…the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights…” MATTHEW 12:38-40

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ROMANS 5:8

All Scripture is from the New Living Translation.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. As you think back on this weekend’s message about the old testament story of Gideon, how did you find yourself relating to Gideon?

2. What does the CedarCreek mission statement mean to you (CedarCreek exists to help spiritually restless and unchurched people love Jesus, serve others, and tell the world about Christ)?

3. Read Romans 12:2 as a group, and discuss what every believer is personally called to do.

4. What are some ways you are currently living out your calling as a believer?

5. What are some things that are keeping you from living out your calling as a believer?

6. Do you sense God moving your heart toward a calling specific to you? If so, how can other believers support you as you face this opportunity?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of July.)
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for
will actually happen; it gives us assurance
about things we cannot see.
HEBREWS 11:1 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 7.10.10.

Classics: Ruth
Lee Powell, Senior Pastor
July 10 & 11, 2010

… Boaz was the father of Obed. Obed was the father of Jessie. Jessie was the father
of David… Ruth 4:21 & 22

Then forty-two generations later the genealogy is as follows:
Jesus was known as the son of Joseph.
Joseph was known as the son of Heli. Luke 3:23
(for entire genealogy of Jesus see Luke 3:23-38)

Get A Grip on God’s G__________________

One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick
up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it.” Ruth 2:2

Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such
kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.” Ruth 2:10

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us
sinners. Romans 5:6

Aspire To N______________________

Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a
relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech. Ruth 2:1

“. . . Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my
people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be
buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
Ruth 1:16-17

“. . . When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it
really Naomi?” the women asked. Ruth 1:19

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life . . . work
hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. 2 Peter 1:3 &10

Forsake E____________________________ For Christ
(See Ruth 1:16-17 above)

And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or
children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and
will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:29

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from
your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23

Be Strong In F_________________

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us
assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close
beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. Psalm 23:4

All Scripture is from the New Living Translation.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. Read Ruth 2:10. During this weekend’s message we explored how Ruth went
from being a widowed foreigner to part of Jesus’ genealogy. Take some time to
think about how God’s kindness (grace) has impacted your life.

2. Everyone aspires to be a person of noble character. What areas of your life
display nobility? What areas currently lack nobility? How can you improve upon
those areas?

3. Ruth had forsaken her homeland and all that she knew to follow Naomi. In that
same manner, we are being asked to forsake everything for Christ’s sake.
Read Matthew 19:29 and Luke 9:23 and discuss what Jesus is asking us to do in
those two verses.

4. The story of Ruth and Boaz reflects the message of the Gospel. Boaz was Ruth’s
Kinsman-Redeemer, the same as Christ is our redeemer. What are the things
that you have been redeemed of (freedom from)?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of July.)
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen;
it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 7.3.10.

Classics: Esther
Barb Roose, Teaching Pastor
July 3 & 4, 2010

10 Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.” 12 So Hathach gave Esther’s message to Mordecai. 13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” Esther 4:10-16

God’s name is not in the book of Esther…but G_____________ H______________ is all over it.

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28

When adversity arose, Esther desired self-preservation… but, she chose self-sacrifice.
1. She recognized her C________________… (God-opportunities)
2. She faced her F_________ and acted C_________________________ (as if God were with her).

Question: Whenever you think about worst-case scenarios, is Jesus present in those thoughts?

21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:21

You might be one decision away from the most important turn in your D________________.

13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

“The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to the limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult or worthwhile.” – from the book Drive

All Scripture is from the New Living Translation.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. Describe a time when you knew God was working in your life. How did you know God was working and what happened in your life as a result?

2. During this weekend’s message, Barb described a “coincidence” as a miracle in which God decides to remain hidden. Do you believe in coincidence or do you think God weaves various circumstances together in our lives?

3. Esther was a Jewish girl who became queen. Imagine yourself in a position of power or influence. How would you handle a situation where you were asked to risk your power and influence to help others? Would your answer change if no one would ever know if you opted out of helping?

4. Have you ever had a “crisis of belief?” A crisis of belief is that rubber-meets-the-road moment when the future of your life (and faith) hinges on whether or not you truly believe that God will do what He says He will do. Discuss your crisis of belief and how that pivotal moment changed you.

5. Everyone has a “villian” in their lives – an illness, a person, a situation that threatens our livlihood, our security and even our lives. Just as God allowed Haman to hatch his murderous plan, God also allows difficult, even tragic events to occur in our lives. However, Romans 8:28 frames what we are supposed to remember about all of the things that happen to us in life. What is the message of Romans 8:28?

6. Like Esther, at one point in our lives or another, we are all one decision away from an important turn in our destiny. Talk about some of the defining moments in your life and whether or not you displayed the courage to do the right thing in those situations. No matter if you acted courageously or not, what have you learned from Esther’s story to encourage you the next time a pivotal moment comes into your life?

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of July.)
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen;
it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1 (New Living Translation)