We met at the DeVivo's home. We had a very informal and honest discussion based on the experience of our group members. We talked about our mortality and the effect of contemplating our eventual, and perhaps untimely, deaths. We discussed the ways that we can be more sober in our everyday lives to consider serving the Lord more conscientiously knowing that we are not promised tomorrow. The discussion was grace-driven, faith-filled and Christ-centered.
The Lord encouraged us all to make the most of our time by employing self-discipline as we read the word regularly. Someone shared a quote by J.I. Packer that explained that it would only take 78 hours to read the Bible from cover to cover. This quote inspired us to consider how we spend our time, and in a non-legalistic way we discussed the implications of how we can pray for each other and hold each other accountable in our regular reading of God's word.
Cheryl shared a scripture for us to meditate on this week from Psalm 9:10 "And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you." It's so wonderful to know that we serve a God who never forsakes us no matter what situation we find ourselves in the middle of.
Dennis encouraged us from Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted: but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Wade has witnessed eagles taking flight and described it as effortless, magnificent, and powerful. Our God is able to give us the strength to face any kind of situation with his amazing strength!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Summary of July 21 Care Group
We welcomed Eric and Debbie Grubbs while enjoying a lovely picnic dinner provided by everyone. A little lightning and some rain chased us inside the Brown's home for a time, but after dessert we sat on their beautiful deck for the rest of the evening. We filled the Grubbs in on what we have been gleaning from the CDs that we've been listening to by Paul Tripp. We've been applying his messages as we grow as a transparent community of believers.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Summary of July 7 Care Group
The DeVivos, Angels, Bennetts and Versaces attended. To begin, Wade encouraged us all with Ephesians 2:13 - But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Thanks Wade!
Tony directed us to Hebrews 10:19-27 and Hebrews 3:12-13 from the Paul Tripp messages that speak about our identities in Christ and the call to godly community embedded in the middle of those verses. Our first identity is as sinners who must grasp the gravity, seriousness, depravity and the destructiveness of sin so that we can appreciate the wonder and magnitude of Christ's gift to us. Transparency is necessary between close brethren where we let our guard down and let others see who we really are and where we struggle. Then we can be helped by their insight and care! We don't want to be people who have one persona in private, and another very different persona in public. Tripp says that "Personal spiritual insight frequently comes in the context of community."
Our second identity in Christ is to be those who have received the glorious grace of God. Tripp says that we Christians should be the saddest and the most celebrant people on earth simultaneously. If we embrace one aspect of our identity without the other, there will be problems. Dennis cautioned us not to let the awareness of sin overwhelm us without letting God reveal His help and His way of escape. He reminded us of the faithfulness of God to never let us be tempted beyond what we are able to handle, but always provides the way of escape (from I Corinthians 10:13). We should always be looking at the cross 10 times, for every 1 look at our sin!
We also discussed that discipline is unpleasant but that we must trust the loving hand of our heavenly father in leading us for His glory. It's healthy to admit when sin has reared its head in us, and that even our clear conscience doesn't acquit us from guilt. We need the constant cleansing of His presence and forgiveness. We can glory in our weaknesses so that His grace can be made strong in us. Gary encouraged us to "Count it all joy" because we can trust God and His sovereignty in all trials. We ended with Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Tony directed us to Hebrews 10:19-27 and Hebrews 3:12-13 from the Paul Tripp messages that speak about our identities in Christ and the call to godly community embedded in the middle of those verses. Our first identity is as sinners who must grasp the gravity, seriousness, depravity and the destructiveness of sin so that we can appreciate the wonder and magnitude of Christ's gift to us. Transparency is necessary between close brethren where we let our guard down and let others see who we really are and where we struggle. Then we can be helped by their insight and care! We don't want to be people who have one persona in private, and another very different persona in public. Tripp says that "Personal spiritual insight frequently comes in the context of community."
Our second identity in Christ is to be those who have received the glorious grace of God. Tripp says that we Christians should be the saddest and the most celebrant people on earth simultaneously. If we embrace one aspect of our identity without the other, there will be problems. Dennis cautioned us not to let the awareness of sin overwhelm us without letting God reveal His help and His way of escape. He reminded us of the faithfulness of God to never let us be tempted beyond what we are able to handle, but always provides the way of escape (from I Corinthians 10:13). We should always be looking at the cross 10 times, for every 1 look at our sin!
We also discussed that discipline is unpleasant but that we must trust the loving hand of our heavenly father in leading us for His glory. It's healthy to admit when sin has reared its head in us, and that even our clear conscience doesn't acquit us from guilt. We need the constant cleansing of His presence and forgiveness. We can glory in our weaknesses so that His grace can be made strong in us. Gary encouraged us to "Count it all joy" because we can trust God and His sovereignty in all trials. We ended with Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Summary of June 23 Care Group
We were greeted by a delicious pie and some sweet tea that Susan prepared for us when we arrived at the DeVivo's home. We lingered a while on their beautiful deck, chatting and enjoying the lovely weather and the gorgeous plants.
After singing about surrendering our all to the Lord, serving Him with all of our lives and giving Him glory, we discussed the coming care group locations and details. Then we read from I Corinthians 12:4-11 and Romans 12: 3-13 about how God distributes gifts as He desires to each member of the body for serving one another and for His glory. We discussed how God gifts us and how it is important to know how God uses us to benefit the body. Other themes we talked about were:
-being aware of where God has gifted you
-how God has the right to use us however he wants, whenever He wants, even in the mundane moments of our lives
-how sometimes we don't even know He is using us for His glory
-how we need to be available and faithful to serve Him
-how we need to let God show us opportunities that He provides for service
-how important it is to sense His pleasure as we serve Him
-not to compare ourselves with other people and consequently feel like a substandard servant
Topics for next Care Group on July 7: Discuss our identities in Christ as described by Paul Tripp on the first 2 CDs. Refer to questions 12-15 on the list. Also, we will begin to discuss areas of need.
After singing about surrendering our all to the Lord, serving Him with all of our lives and giving Him glory, we discussed the coming care group locations and details. Then we read from I Corinthians 12:4-11 and Romans 12: 3-13 about how God distributes gifts as He desires to each member of the body for serving one another and for His glory. We discussed how God gifts us and how it is important to know how God uses us to benefit the body. Other themes we talked about were:
-being aware of where God has gifted you
-how God has the right to use us however he wants, whenever He wants, even in the mundane moments of our lives
-how sometimes we don't even know He is using us for His glory
-how we need to be available and faithful to serve Him
-how we need to let God show us opportunities that He provides for service
-how important it is to sense His pleasure as we serve Him
-not to compare ourselves with other people and consequently feel like a substandard servant
Topics for next Care Group on July 7: Discuss our identities in Christ as described by Paul Tripp on the first 2 CDs. Refer to questions 12-15 on the list. Also, we will begin to discuss areas of need.
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