John Scott – Page 359 – Community Hemet

Spending Every Day With Jesus is a very intentional commitment. One of my best companions in this journey over the last several years is a great reading plan. The Life Journal Reading Plan has been my annual plan for years now.

We’re not all the same and our needs can be very different when it comes to reading the Bible. For some of you, this is a first and for others you’re looking to go deeper. The people at Youversion have done an amazing job at compiling all kinds of reading plans to meet several needs.

Let me encourage you to go to their site and check them out. YOUVERSION READING PLANS.

If you’re starting, and this is all new to you, let me encourage you to do a shorter plan to finish out the year, then you can start with something on Jan. 1st.

Here’s a few that would be good to get you started:

Countdown to Christmas

My Utmost For His Highest

Our Daily Bread

Whatever you choose to do, remember to see it as an opportunity to spend time with Jesus, not just a chance to scratch something off your “to do” list.

Stepping In: Getting things started!

1-Share something you learned from The Blessed Life series or book.

2-How have you seen God’s blessing in some unique way throughout these past four weeks of this series?

**WATCH VIDEO

Week 1: The _________ mindset: We have INFINITELY more than ENOUGH

Week 2: The Tithe must be ________________.

Week 3: Because God has blessed us with more, we will _______________ give more.

Week 4: When you are generous ___________ your life, God is generous _______ your life.

Building Up: What is God Saying?

Read 1 Timothy 6:3-5. What is the value of knowing there is TRUTH we can all relate to and follow? What happens if everyone makes up his or her own truth?

Read 1 Timothy 6:6-10. How does the advertising agencies work against our desire to live a “content” life? Why is contentment such an important quality? Why is the “love of money” so dangerous?

Read 1 Timothy 6:17. If you make $33,000/year you are in the top 10% of the wealth in the world. What’s the danger of putting our hope in our money and possessions?

Read 1 Timothy 6:18. Why is it important to note this is a “command” and not a suggestion?

Read 1 Timothy 6:19. This isn’t the only place in the Bible that talks about this. What are some of the ways we can understand it?

Living Out: How do I obey?

1-What needs to happen for you to “take hold of the life that is truly life”?

2-We are starting a new series this next weekend. It’s about handling the pain that life throws at us at times. Do you know someone who could be BLESSED by this series? Who could you invite THIS WEEK?

3-Keep your eyes open for a family your LG can adopt for the holidays.

Don’t get caught watching the parade, when you’re supposed to be in it! When the whole church goes ALL IN it’s an opportunity for something really special. However, a simple hesitation of your heart could be all the devil is looking for right now.

If God speaks, do it. Trust and obey. And do it now! Don’t give Satan an opportunity to help you rationalize another course of action. (The Blessed Life, Robert Morris)

This weekend we’ll be making our four-fold commitment for the next 12 months. Each one of these commitments are mission critical. Don’t let the evil one talk you out of any part of this journey we call The Epic Life.

Every Day with Jesus

Practical Love

Intentional Ministry

Comprehensive Investment

To live a life that is truly BLESSED, truly EPIC, we need to follow God in complete obedience. We didn’t make these four commitments up. They’re found all throughout God’s Word. Now…it’s simply up to us to obey!

Let’s do this together!

While reading the introduction of a book by Andy Stanley, Fields of Gold, I came across a thought that simply stopped me in my tracks.

Greed can be destructive. It’s a trap we can easily get caught in. It may be, for some, a powerful reason NOT to be a generous person. However, the line from Andy’s book made me think of an even more sinister motivation to keep it all to myself.

“I concluded my problem wasn’t greed. It was fear.”

Fear, when it comes to our money sounds like this (in case you were wondering):

“What if I need the money for something else?”

“What if I’m not saving enough?”

“What if I have an unexpected expense?”

“What if I don’t have enough left over?”

Our “what ifs” and fears are often the very things standing between us and The Blessed Life!

Don’t let fear determine the life you’ll live. Let’s let FAITH rule the day. After all, the One we put our faith in has never failed us!

Stepping In: Getting things started!

1-How has The Blessed Life book challenged and encouraged you this week?

2-What is one thing you are thinking of changing as a result of our The Blessed Life weekend series and book?

3-What have you been learning by trying to spend “every day with Jesus”?

4-Share a way “practical love” was able to shine through a situation this past week.

**WATCH VIDEO

1. Be __________________________

2. Be __________________________

3. Be __________________________

4. Be __________________________

Building Up: What is God Saying?

Read Romans 12:1. How does the phrase, “in view of God’s mercy” affect your decision to go ALL IN? Why does God want all of our “bodies as a living sacrifice”?

Read Romans 12:2. Why is it so easy to be conformed to the “pattern of this world?” What are the key things we can do to “renew our minds”?

Read Romans 12:3-5. Why is humility such an essential quality among people in the church? What is the power of verse 5?

Read Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11. What are the primary lessons gained from these verses?

What is one gift you think you have (whether you know how that fits into the church or not)?

Living Out: How do I obey?

1- Share with the group one ministry area you are interested in helping with?

2-Keep your eyes open for a family your LG can adopt for the holidays.

About John Scott

Posts by John Scott: