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CLICK HERE for an Opening Reflection.
Read aloud John 8:44; Ephesians 6:11-12; and 1 Peter 5:8. What does each of these say about our enemy? What is his mission? Why is it important to understand and know all we can about our enemy? Read Romans 8:6. What does this verse say our minds have the power to do? Read Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:5; and Ephesians 6:14. What does each verse ask us to do so that our thoughts are not dominated by anxiety? What are some ways we can live out these commands in our everyday life? Read Mark 5:24-29. What thoughts do you think the enemy had planted in the bleeding woman's mind as she jockeyed her way through the crowd to get to Jesus? What lies has the enemy whispered into your heart to keep you from seeking Christ when you, like the bleeding woman, feel physically or spiritually sick? Instead of listening to the enemy, what does the woman say to herself (see verse 28)? How does Jesus reward the bleeding woman's determined faith (see verses 33-34)? What promise can we take away from his response to her? Read Jesus' words in John 15:1-8. One of the best ways we can think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and excellent is by attaching ourselves to the One who embodies truth, nobility, righteousness, purity, love, and all things good and excellent. What does it mean to abide in Christ? Who or what do you find yourself abiding in more than Christ? How can you attach yourself to Christ more than the people and things of this world? Jesus says, "If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit" (John 15:5). What are the fruits we produce when we remain in Christ? (See Galatians 5:22-23.) Our goal is not to bear fruit but to stay attached to Christ. What is the difference between these two goals? What is the consequence of focusing on bearing fruit instead of focusing on staying attached to Christ? How have ou see this unfold in your own faith journey? |
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CLICK HERE for an Opening Reflection.
Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-12. Try to look at these words with new eyes and an open heart. Circle or underline words that stand out to you. Why do these words stand out to you? What fresh insight do they bring? What was Jehoshaphat's response to the perfect storm of armies that were preparing to attack? When the perfect storm of anxiety is looming in your own life, how can you respond like Jehoshaphat? Read John 14:27. What is the difference between the "peace" the world gives and the peace God gives? God never promises we will live a storm-free existence. The Bible is full of stories about storms and how to face them. Take a moment to read Matthew 8:23-27. How does Matthew describe the ferocity of this storm in verse 24? What is Jesus' response to the disciples' fear (verse 26)? Could Jesus be telling you the same thing today? What area of your life is dominated too much by fear and not enough by faith? When was the time you saw Jesus rebuke the "winds and the waves" of your life's storm? Read Psalm 119:75 and Hebrews 12:6-11. Many times the "winds and waves" in our storm are caused by our own poor decisions. And the Lord, just as he rebuked the winds and waves in Galilee, rebukes us for disobeying his word. According to these verses, why does God discipline us? How can God's rebuke bring calm to our storm? In Acts 27:23, Paul tells his fellow shipmates, "Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me." There are three promises we can gain from these words.
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CLICK HERE for an Opening Reflection.
Read Matthew 14:22-32. Why do you think Jesus didn't go with his disciples in the boat? What was Jesus doing while the disciples were gone? What does verse 23 teach about the importance of prayer? Peter's prayer to Jesus as the waves tossed the boat was not eloquent. It was simple, direct, even desperate. Read Luke 18:9-14. According to this parable, what kind of prayer is heart-honoring to God? Read Matthew 7:7-8; John 14:13-14; and Psalm 91:14-16. What is the promise of prayer in each verse? Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; Ephesians 2:1-7; and 1 John 3:1-2. According to these verses, why can we be thankful in any circumstance? Read Philippians 4:11-13. How does Paul say he is able to find contentment in all things? |
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CLICK HERE for an Opening Reflection.
Read John 6:1-13. Try to look at this story with new eyes and an open heart. Then read it again, silently, circling or underlining words that stand out to you. Max remarked: "In the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, this disciples never asked him for help. Instead, they decided the problem was too big and told the Creator of the world what to do." Read the following passages: Genesis 15:1; Deuteronomy 31:8; Joshua 1:9; and Isaiah 43:2. What is God's promise in each verse? What common theme do you see running through these verses? Read the following passages: Galatians 5:22-25; Philippians 2:13; and 2 Peter 1:3. What promise is given in each of these verses? According to these promises, where is your source of calmness? How does this alleviate the burden to conjure up calmness on your own? In John 16:33, Jesus says, "Take heart! I have overcome the world." How did Jesus overcome the entire world? What has Jesus overcome in your personal world? |
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CLICK HERE for an Opening Reflection.
To rejoice in the Lord, we must have a deep belief in his sovereignty over our lives. The more we believe in his control, the more we relinquish our control. Seek God's C.A.L.M. C - Celebrate God’s Goodness (Philippians 4:4): This will be a time to rejoice in the Lord, praising him for his goodness and for the new insight he is giving you through this study. Celebrating what God is teaching you and meditating on who God is will help shift your gaze from the problems on earth to your hope in heaven. A - Ask God for Help (Philippians 4:6): During this reflection time, you will ask God to help you not only understand what he is teaching you through the lesson but also to supernaturally transform your heart to live out this truth in your daily life. L - Leave Your Concerns with God (Philippians 4:7): This reflection activity will challenge you to leave your worries in the hands of God and pick up the specific worry weapons you are learning in each video session. That way, when worries threaten to return, you can fight them. M - Meditate on Good Things (Philippians 4:8): At the end of Paul’s prescription against anxiety, he urges his readers to meditate on things that are of God. In this activity, you will meditate on Philippians 4:4–8 and memorize a portion of it. In this way you will take the first step to replace anxious thoughts with the truth of God’s Word. |
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