move in :: a sermon discussion guide

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CONNECT (Consider & Share)

1. Have you ever made a resolution to get healthy? What did you do, and how did it turn out? Briey share.

GROW (Discuss and Learn)

Read Genesis 35:1-3 2. The Lord was concerned. He challenged Jacob and his family to move toward him to become more spiritually healthy. Their rst step as a household was to get rid of foreign gods/idols. An idol is anything or anyone that holds more prominence for us than Christ. What tugs at your heart for attention and pulls you away from God? What are some practical steps you can take to remove those idols? Jacobs household was then told to purify themselves, which involved the actual physical process of cleansing and putting on clean clothes. How might we go about becoming clean spiritually? 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us that the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. Do you have any areas in your life that cry for repentance - allowing your heart to be more committed to the Lord? Thirdly, Jacob builds an altar and worships God. Psalm 43:4 says: Then I will goto the altarof God, to God, my joyand my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Do you take time during your day and/or week to come before God to praise Him? Do you make it a priority to do this as a family? Why or why not? How does one delight and take joy in God? Think about other relationships that bring you the most joy. What makes them dierent? How can you deepen your relationship with God so that there might be true praise and joy?

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SERVE (Apply and Take Action)

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(break into groups of 3 or 4 people)

Consider a time of confession and repentance (acknowledging idols, impurities, sinfulness) followed by a time of forgiveness and thanksgiving (extending mercies, blessings, gratitude). Read Colossians 1:9-10. Adopt this prayer for one another in the group as well as for other believers. Then pray for one another as the Spirit leads and prompts.

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Dont forget to consider subgrouping! (groups of 3-4 people)

move in :: a daily devotional guide

gorichwoods.org

#gorichwoods

be sure to check out this weeks video at www.gorichwoods.org! Sunday, February 24 - Joshua 7:13 Idols (devoted things) are the things and people that pull us away from God. Take a moment to reect on the various compartments of your life. Do any idols begin to surface based on your level of attention to them? As a symbolic act of consecration, write down your idols and bring them before God. Monday, February 25 - Nehemiah 8:10 What is the focus of the celebration he is referring to? Nehemiah says to share gifts with those who have not. Have you experienced the joy of giving to others? Reect on your why this is so important for us. Pray for opportunities to share. Tuesday, February 26 - Psalm 42:1-4 What a vivid picture of the Psalmist longing for God. What do you thirst for? Meditate on this scripture and, over time if necessary, seek to experience such intense longing for God. How will you satisfy the thirst of your soul? Wednesday, February 27 - Hebrews 12:1 If you have ever had the opportunity to run in a race, you know there are obstacles that can make the race more challenging (e.g. passing slow runners, having your shoes come untied, not having the right gear for the race, etc.). These are hindrances. In a similar way, sin hinders us in the race we call life. Paul exhorts us to throw o everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us so that we can run our race well. What junk gets in your way and slows you down? Will you throw these things o? Will you run the race God has marked out for you as if to win the prize? Thursday, February 28 - Ephesians 5:15-17 This passage has a sense of urgency. What tends to rob you of your time, and therefore opportunity? Have you ever found yourself spending an entire evening or weekend watching TV, in front of the computer, or playing a video game? While none of these items are bad in-and-of themselves, they can turn into a huge waste of time. Imagine for a moment how God might use you to aect eternity if you were able to take some of those hours and use them for his purposes. Friday, March 1 - Romans 12:2 This passage suggests that as a believer you are to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. How does one renew their mind? In the Psalms we are often exhorted to meditate on Gods word. Do you take time to read and reect on Gods Word? Take time today to read from the Psalms - nd a passage and meditate on it. At the end of the day, consider how it eected your day. Saturday, March 2 - Matthew 11:15; Luke 8:21 Jesus repeats the phrase whoever has ears, let them hear many times. When we believe in Christ, our ears are opened to him, but they must be developed to fully understand. Our spiritual health is dependent upon our hearing and understanding. Do you take time to be still and hear from your Savior? How about putting his words into practice? Do you walk in obedience to what you hear? Think and pray on these things for a few minutes.