FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

Living Beyond Your Capacity, Part 3: Questions for Reflection and Discussion

Many Christians experience a “roller-coaster” up and down spiritual life. This kind of spirituality is described fist-person in Romans 7:19, “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”  Explaining how his fellow Christians can break free of this up and down spiritual life and live beyond their capacity he does tell them to work harder or make new resolutions but simply, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

Read Galatians 5:13-26. What phrases in addition to “walk by the Spirit” does Paul use to describe our desired relationship with the Spirit? How is this contrasted with “acts of the flesh”?

What do the following Scriptures reveal about the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian?

John 14:16--

1 Corinthians 3:16--

1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:3-7--

Romans 8:16; 8:26-27--

Ephesians 4:30--

Ephesians 5:18--

Application

Compare Ephesians 5:18-19 with Colossians 3:16. What insights about the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Word do you gain from these Scriptures? How does this relationship influence the priority you place on spending time daily in the Word?

Memorize This

Ephesians 5:16— So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. NIV

"Mom Goggles" by the Skit Guys

Here's the "Hit" video we used Sunday to affirm our moms.

Happy Mothers Day!

A New Perspective For Moms from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

I came across this video on the Christian Post here by Elevation Church.  Moms are asked to describe themselves, and their responses embody the saying, "You're your own worst critic." The mothers talk about their struggles with perfectionism, doubt, anger and patience. But when the women come back in and are surprised by a second opinion – from their kids. Through the eyes and words of their children, the mothers' perspectives are shifted in an unforgettable and tearful way. Moms, hopefully yours will be, too.

Moms, be encouraged! Happy Mother's Day!

You are beautiful!

Every Woman MUST Hear This! from untilweflyaway on GodTube. The Message paraphrases Psalm 139:13-16 like this,

Oh yes, You shaped me first inside, then out; You formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—You’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, You watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before You, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.

Newsboys' We Believe Tour @ NMBC Highlight Video

Living Beyond Your Capacity- Part 1 Questions for Reflection and Discussion

Speaking before his fellow Israelites in Antioch, the Apostle Paul said of King David, “God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’” (Acts 13:22, NIV). God looked at David’s heart and saw a man after His own heart. Living your life beyond your capacity begins with having a  heart that goes after God. What additional insights do the following Scriptures provide as to the importance of one’s heart (core, motives)?

Luke 16:14-15--

 Psalm 147:10-11--

Proverbs 16:2, 21:2--

Isaiah 29:13--

2 Corinthians 10:7--

While delivering food and supplies to his three oldest brothers, David (a youth at the time) overheard the taunts of the enemy soldier Goliath and responded, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (1 Samuel 17:26) David grew up hearing accounts of how God accomplished might acts through Joshua, Deborah, Gideon, Samson and others. How might his hearing of these events bolstered his confidence in God to do the same for him ?

Application

Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. David was the youngest of eights sons and therefore the least likely to be a mighty warrior let alone king. (See 1 Samuel 16:1-13) In light of 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 how was David’s limited capacity actually a benefit to his being used by God? In what ways to you believe the Holy Spirit is leading you to live beyond your capacity?

Memorize This

Psalm 147:10-11 (NIV)

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

National Day of Prayer, Red Bank, NJ Prayer Event

Awesome to start the day off in prayer with Red Bank friends! @NationalPrayer pic.twitter.com/CcuiLO7xDA
— Mike Miller (@emikemiller) May 1, 2014

Check out prayer events throughout the day here.