The God-First Life Study Guide: Uncomplicate Your Life, God's Way (An Intervention Novel) - Softcover

Weems, Stovall

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0310697999 ISBN 13: 9780310697992

Verlag: HarperChristian Resources, 2013

Inhaltsangabe

“When I discovered the simple and sustainable principle of The God-First Life,” says pastor Stovall Weems, “it changed every area of my life.”

In this six-session video-based small group Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), pastor Stovall Weems teaches how to let go of things you don’t have the answers for and trust Him enough to simply follow. In each of the six sessions, you and your group will experience how to follow God in the moment, no matter what baggage they carry or what spiritual milestones you’ve yet to conquer.

Explore the powerful principles of God-first living that lead to an abundant life, and get the tools that will help you grow in your walk with God. Learn how to experience the strength of God-First living and start enjoying your walk with God by living Spirit-filled and being Spirit-led on a consistent basis. Use your unique gifts and talents by practically demonstrating the love of God to others.

Having a rich spiritual life isn’t difficult. There is a much more vibrant way to live and act in faith, and it is much simpler than you would think. Discover your God-First Life.

Sessions include: 

1. Your Life, God's Way
2. Adopted into God's Family
3. Space for the Soul to Breathe
4. Doing Life Together
5. Are You Ready for Greatness?
6. Free Life

Designed for use with God-First Life Video Study 9780310698005 (sold separately).

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

 

 

 

Kevin G. Harney?is lead pastor of Shoreline Church in Monterey, California. He is the author of many books, including?No Is a Beautiful Word,?Seismic Shifts, and the Organic Outreach?Trilogy, as well as more than a hundred small group guides, curriculum, and numerous articles written in partnership with Sherry. Kevin and his wife Sherry are co-founders of Organic Outreach International, a ministry that trains and resources global leaders to do evangelism in natural and effective ways. He also does extensive teaching and speaking both nationally and internationally.

Sherry Harney is an author and a speaker who serves as the Spiritual Formation and Discipleship Director at Shoreline Church in Monterey, California. She is also the cofounder of Organic Outreach International. For over three decades Sherry has spoken for local, national, and international groups and events. She focuses on prayer, spiritual formation, leadership, and organic outreach.

Over the past three decades Sherry and Kevin have coauthored and partnered with writers such as Ann Voskamp, Max Lucado, Nabeel Qureshi, Jim Cymbala, Miles McPherson, Mark Batterson, Chrystal Evans Hurst, Christine Caine, Gary Thomas, N.T. Wright, Laura Story, Craig Groeschel, Dallas Willard and many others. Kevin and Sherry have three married sons, and three grandchildren.

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The God-First Life Study Guide

By Stovall Weems, Kevin Harney, Sherry Harney

ZONDERVAN

Copyright © 2014 Stovall Weems
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-310-69799-2

Contents

A Word from Stovall Weems, 5, 
SESSION 1 YOUR LIFE, GOD'S WAY, 9, 
SESSION 2 ADOPTED INTO GOD'S FAMILY, 23, 
SESSION 3 SPACE FOR THE SOUL TO BREATHE, 37, 
SESSION 4 DOING LIFE TOGETHER, 51, 
SESSION 5 ARE YOU READY FOR GREATNESS?, 65, 
SESSION 6 FREE LIFE, 79, 
Small Group Leader Helps, 93, 

CHAPTER 1

SESSION 1

YOUR LIFE, GOD'S WAY

An Invitation to Seek God's Kingdom First

Some passages in the Bible seem complex and deep the first time you read them. Other passages feel clear and transparent right away. Then, there are passages that seem to make sense, but with time, they drive you deeper and deeper into the heart and presence of God. One such passage comes from the lips of Jesus. If you read it, if you really get it, and if you let this passage get ahold of you, it could turn your whole life upside down! Here it is:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever "Yelped" something?

If you have a smart phone, you might have an app called Yelp. If you do, you can be traveling almost anywhere and find a great restaurant quickly and easily. You just touch the icon for your Yelp app and type in the kind of food you want. For instance, type "Mexican food," press the search button, and in a matter of moments you will have a list of Mexican restaurants right there on your phone. You can arrange them by popularity, distance from your location, or price range; you can even pull up customer reviews and pictures of the food and restaurant. Amazing!

Have you ever read the Bible on your phone or a tablet? It is easy if you have the Bible Gateway app. This little tool supplies reading plans, allows you to listen to the Bible, provides a place for you to take and keep notes on what you are learning, and much more—all of this in the palm of your hand. Powerful!

There are apps that tell you the weather in any part of the world, others that help you lose weight as they monitor your eating and exercise. There are apps that entertain you with games, provide free music of any genre you like, allow you to follow your favorite sport or team, and the list goes on and on. More and more apps are marketed with each passing day and most of them are free or very inexpensive. They are also, for the most part, quite easy to use. A few touches of your finger, ask a question or two, and the world unfolds before you.

But apps are simple for us because under the surface of the recognizable icon on our phone and the user-friendly app is an incredibly complex serving system. Someone invented it, coded it, designed it, and maintains it. What seems intuitive and straightforward to us is actually quite sophisticated. If you could look behind the scenes, you would be amazed at all that is going on so that you can find your Mexican restaurant, check out the weather for next Wednesday in Sydney, Australia, or look up Matthew 6:33 on your phone.

Sometimes, when something appears to be simple and straightforward, it is actually deeper and more complex than we realize at first glance. Some Bible verses are like this. One of the greatest examples of this is a simple statement that comes directly from the mouth and heart of Jesus: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). Seems simple, doesn't it? The idea is actually very easy to understand. But living out this truth will take a lifetime!

TALK ABOUT IT

If you are familiar with apps, what is a favorite app you have on your phone or tablet and why is it helpful to you? How does this app take something complex and make it simple?

or

Tell about when you first began to experience a drawing toward God and a desire to understand that he has a plan for your life.

VIDEO TEACHING NOTES

As you watch the video teaching segment for session 1, featuring Stovall Weems, use the following outline to record anything that stands out to you.

One man's journey toward the God-first life

Matthew 6:33: Seek God first and everything you need will be added

The God-First app is Matthew 6:33

Blessings of a new family, new life, new freedom

The world's recipe for a happy life

The answer to the happy life is putting God first

When order is restored, blessing is released

Holiness leads to happiness

Video Discussion and Bible Study

1. Stovall tells about becoming a follower of Jesus as a college student, while working at a bar. When did you become a Christian (or maybe you are still investigating) and how has God changed your life since that time?

2. Even after we become Christians, we can still have questions about God, Jesus, the Bible, heaven, among other things. What was a question you grappled with after becoming a Christian that eventually made sense?

Why is it okay to love Jesus and follow him and still have questions?

3. Read: Matthew 6:33. How can seeking first God's kingdom, his will, and his righteousness help make sense of the questions we might struggle with?

4. In the times and seasons of life when we actually seek first God's kingdom and his will for our lives, things often seem to fall into place and make sense. Tell about a time or a season in your life when you really devoted your heart and life to seeking God's will. How did God come alive, show up, and work during this time?

5. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus teaches us that order is critical. Seek first his kingdom. What have you noticed happens in your life when you seek God's kingdom first?

What happens when you seek your will, your desires, and your ways first?

6. When you became a Christian, you were ushered into a new family. Tell how God impacted your life through your new brothers and sisters after you followed Jesus and became part of his church.

7. Read: Proverbs 3:5 – 6. How do these wise words of Proverbs echo the heartbeat of Matthew 6:33?

How does trusting the Lord with all our heart help us seek him first?

8. Stovall makes this provocative statement: "When order is restored, blessing is released!" Respond to this. Do you agree? If so, why? Do you disagree? If so, why?

9. Read: 1 Peter 1:13 – 16. How can walking and living in holiness increase our happiness?

How can turning from God's ways and living with self-centered desires (rather than a God-first life orientation) rob us of joy and happiness?

10. How have you experienced the blessing and happiness of God as a direct result of setting God-honoring priorities and seeking him first in your life?

What is one new priority you might begin today, and how can your group members pray as you take this next step into the God-first life?

Closing Prayer

Take time as a group to pray in any of the following directions:

• Thank God for people that he placed in your life who prayed for you, reached out to you, and showed you what a God-first life could look like.

• Thank God for drawing you to himself and for showing you his love and grace.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see when you are being drawn toward living in a way that puts yourself or other people first, rather than...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: HarperChristian Resources
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2013
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0310697999
• ISBN 13: 9780310697992
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 96
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: preigu GmbH & Co. KG; mail@preigu.de; ; Lengericher Landstr. 19; Osnabrück; Niedersachsen; 49078; Deutschland