Every...

Greetings!

I hope this note finds each of you fine group leaders doing well.

I want to get us ready for where we are headed, theme-wise, for the next 4 sundays. If it's right for your Life Group, you can capitalize on the momentum and start the year off with a solid course of study and growth based on the messages. If this direction doesn't seem like where God is taking your group, then let your Guides know how they can help you in choosing a different course of study and service.

This Sunday, we begin a series entitled "Every...". We will explore the reality of pursuing and presenting God in every time, every day- everywhere, for everyone. This will have us discussing evangelism and what sharing your faith is really about, prayer and how we see God and the kinds of things we actually place in His hands, Hate and how it slips into our life- and God's presence (omnipresence for you big word lovers!) in our day to day, moment to moment lives.

The following is based on the message this coming Sunday and can be used as a study/discussion guide for your Life Group meeting.  It's good to bear in mind that your goal in leading your group is to help the members pursue a life-changing relationship with God, which often requires going beyond questions and discussion. With the topic of hearing the voice of God and noticing Him in our midst (or us in his....) being discussed, feel free to lead your group into extended times of prayer, writing, reflection and more. As we all know, there is a vast difference between discussing God's presence, and actually experiencing it. You may find that the members of your group find much of this a foreign concept- which should be taken as a prompting to create an environment where stillness and prayer can be realized, as well as creative planning to hear Him throughout the week.

Thaw (icebreaker stuff)-

What's the strangest gift you received for Christmas this year?

What was the most meaningful thing that happened this past week with Christmas in the air?

If you had this past week to do over, what would you do differently?

Read

Read Exodus 3:1-5

What are some of the thoughts/observations you have about this passage?

Why would God choose this setting to call Moses to fulfill His redemption plan for Israel?

What is the writer of Exodus teaching us about the voice and presence of God in our lives?

What are some "burning bushes" you have seen in your life? (A particular moment or conversation, etc., that was understood to be God calling you forward into something more.)

Read 1 Kings 19:11-13

Thoughts?

Why, if ancient people wanted their god to be seen as all powerful, would they allow this story to be included in the Bible?

Read John 4:4-24

What are some of the thoughts/observations you have about this passage?

(You may find that some in the group are unfamiliar with the context, so a few moments spent highlighting the background may prove helpful. You may note that Jesus gets tired (v6), that the woman is avoiding others or is being avoided in that she is getting water when it's hotter (v6-7), that Jesus is speaking to both a Samaritan and a woman, two big no-no's in Jesus' day, that Jesus intentionally makes those he loves uncomfortable sometimes (v16-17), that uncomfortable people like to change the subject (v20), etc...)

What is Jesus teaching about the availability of God?

In what ways do we continue to worship God the "old way", rather than in Spirit and Truth?

Read Galatians 2:20-21

Thoughts?

What are the implications of the presence of God being everywhere, as well as within our own life and living?

God is a God who calls out to others. And He lives within those who trust Him. What are they ways that we hide God's presence from others, muting His call? Are there ways that we drown out the whisper of God? Are there ways we amplify it? What are these ways?

Apply

What are some of the adjustments the group can be making to begin realizing the presence of God moment to moment?

What are some of the engrained habits that consistently block out God's whisper?

The message discusses another dimension of "repentance".

What in your life is it that you think may be blocking out God's voice, making it impossible toT'shuva (repent, respond, return, answer)?

How can other members (whether it's the group in general or a few specific members) help you to begin repenting (returning, answering, responding) so as to see and hear God?

Spend as much time as you can being still. 10 minutes is a huge chunk of time if you've never done it as a group before. Then, see if you can come to any agreements about how you can carve out time each day, and where that time is best placed? Can you email each other and encourage each other about taking time to listen for the whisper? Also see if you can identify specific places or settings or conversations where the presence of God isn't ever detected, and how that can be improved. Finally, encourage your group members to be creative in how they enter into their moments- no matter where they are. We would all agree that we find what we intentionally seek- so challenge your group members to go into conversations, vacations, business meetings, laundry, lunch, exercise, spending, arguments and everything else with their eyes and ears tuned into God and his everywhere presence.

And share the stories! We know God will do amazing things if we will first notice the small brush fires all around us. Tell us what He does in your group.

Steve