Summary of October 20 Care Group

We had several people not able to attend because of busy schedules. We started out with a nice pumpkin cake baked by Sue Brown! Then we sang "Jesus, Thank you" to begin our night of expressing thanks to God. Tony began by saying that he has been experiencing a burgeoning sense of thanksgiving to God for all that He has done for us. We read the series of scriptures that follows:
I Chron 16:8 - Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples:
Ps 30: 4-5 - Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
Ps 54:6 - With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
Ps 69:30 - I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Ps 79:13 - But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
Ps 118:1 - Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
Ps 145:10 - All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you!
Col 3:15-16 - And let the peace of Christ rule in hour heats, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Col 2:6-7 - Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
I Thess 5:16-18 - Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

We then took turns speaking about the themes of thankfulness in our lives. We discussed:
* This worldly generation is marked by a sense of entitlement and a lack of gratitude. So we, as God's children, should be marked by an unmistakable attitude of thanks to God no matter our circumstances. Then we can say like Habakkuk "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."
* Ps 19 "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." We are so thankful for God's word and its effect on our lives. It is true food! We are thankful for God's faithfulness to preserve it for us through centuries and despite all the attempts to destroy it. His word is like a two-edged sword that lays us bare, convicts us when necessary, and helps us to keep our way pure.
* We are thankful for nature and the obvious Creator that is behind all of the beauty that we are surrounded by. Ps 23 is a visual gift to describe God's leading, comfort and working in our lives. He leads us on his path which is onto something better than where we might find ourselves.
* Eph 1:7 - "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will." Even when we turn, struggle, have trouble, he's committed to our well-being and cleansing!
* God is not impressed with the length of our prayers or bible-reading. We can rest on the fact that we have been freed from sin by the perfect sacrifice of Christ. And we have a never-ending salvation that is far-reaching and all-encompassing. This amazing salvation is not based on anything we can do to impress God!
*Is 49:8 - In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people...they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.
*We have been adopted as sons. Rom 8:15 says we have received the spirit of adoption where we cry "Abba, Father." It's amazing that he's chosen us and enabled us to cry to him as an heir. We must be mindful that some of this inheritance comes with suffering.
*We are thankful for our children and the work that God is doing in them all by his grace. We prayed for God to make their paths straight.

Summary of October 6 Care Group

We began our evening with a delicious apple crisp, brownies and ice cream that Mary brought. Everyone was present. After singing about the Lord our Shepherd and how glorious he is, Tony asked each of us to share about what God is doing in our lives. Maria talked about how certain images help to see God's work in our lives, like the underside of a tapestry, sheep with a shepherd, and the potter and the clay. We discussed many themes including: looking at the "big picture" in this life as we look toward heaven, being available and obedient for his service, being thankful for godly friendships, counting it all joy as we encounter various trials, and keeping our eyes focused on Jesus.

Doug shared from Phil 1:12 "I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel." When Tony asked us to consider if our difficulties are a sign of God's inattention, we all gave a profound NO. We talked about how nothing we do can deter God's purpose of sanctification in our lives. Mary shared that God is firmly committed to our growth in holiness regardless of our distractions, reactions, sins, etc. Nothing can stop Him from working in our lives for His glory. Phil 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

Wade said that our faith is at stake as we navigate through life's trials. Abraham believed God and yet he was tested. Peter was sifted so that the excellency of the gift should be seen for what it is. We ended by contemplating longing and groaning to be with Him, getting a whiff of eternity and living for his glory.

It was a beautiful time of sharing and encouragement! What a wonderful group of friends!!