Watch Week 4 Video (2-5 minutes)
Open With Prayer (2-10 minutes)
Invite the Holy Spirit to be present, illuminate the Scriptures, and to have Jesus’ will be done today in the group.
Read This Overview
The Christian life is not always one of working harder, or trying harder, but sometimes a life of not giving up. Being steadfast. Enduring.
We have a future hope in Christ Jesus. He who was, who is, and who will be. Jesus is alive, and is coming back. Jesus' invitation to us is to trust him. Trust his words, his love, his life, his return. One day all of creation will be made new again when the Kingdom of God comes fully, and we have a new earth. We get to live in light of a future hope.
It is easy to get discouraged in our faith, and for it to feel overwhelming. Jesus looks at our whole life, not just our present. Think about how your relationship with God will develop, grow, and mature over the next 10, 15, 25, 50 years. God is not hurried. He is not inviting you into a hurried spiritual formation. You and I have a hope about who we are becoming, and about what the Kingdom of God is doing. God is restoring and redeeming all of creation.
Scripture To Read
"Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers will never be harmed by the second death." Revelation 2:10b-11
Talk Together (10-20 minutes)
In your groups of 3-4 and ask the following questions:
How do I stay deeply in love with God and aware of His love for me?
What do I need in order to not give up when things are hard or mundane, when I’m not feeling motivated, or when I am feeling discouraged? What is my “why” or my motivation for growth?
What are things outside my control that I need to accept, embrace, or release? What are the hardships in my life that God may be using to form me?
As a Group
"Devote yourself to public reading of Scripture." Paul in 1 Timothy 4:13
We are going to read out loud the letter of Ephesians. Pick one person in your group, and have them read, without stopping for dialogue, the whole book straight through.
After you done, take a minute to be quiet before God. Ask the Holy Spirit to make Himself known and to speak to each person in the room. Pray, “Father, we want to live our life with You. Please meet with us here and help us be near to You.
Talk to one another about what you heard.
This Week’s Practice
Everyday read the Bible out loud.
Day 1: Ephesians 1
Day 2: Ephesians 2
Day 3: Ephesians 3
Day 4: Ephesians 4
Day 5: Ephesians 5
Day 6: Ephesians 6
Day 7: Ephesians 1-6
Close Life Group in Prayer (2-10 minutes)
For Further Study
Revelation 2,3; Colossians 1:9-12