Freedom Series Devotional 2017 - Vineyard Church by Vineyard KC North

Freedom Small Group Workbook Edition 1.0 Copyright© 2017 Vineyard Church® Daily devotions written and edited by Vineyard pastors, staff, and volunteers including: Alex Eby, Anita Vanetti, Beth Hey, Brian Bononi, Cassidy Perry, Dawn Bononi, Derk Hanna, Heather Chatlos, Jim Riegel, Jody Barrett, Kim Lisby, Kyle Anderson, Lisa Kennell, Marcy Nelson, Matt Miser, Rebecca Myers, Roger Sodsod, Season Tingler, Tim Rupp, Tonja Spencer, Tony Wilks Designed by Dianne Dowler, Whitney Grabel, and Cassidy Perry Photographs by John Mann, Axio Media Requests for information should be addressed to: Vineyard Church 12300 NW Arrowhead Trafficway Kansas City, Mo, 64165 All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or in any means - by electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without prior written permission. Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation®. Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved. Printed and bound in the United States of America

CONTENTS

PRAYER REQUEST & Getting Started

WEEK 1 Freedom from Guilt & Shame

WEEK 2 Freedom from Failure

WEEK 3 Freedom of Unconditional Love

WEEK 4 Freedom from Dead Ritual

WEEK 5 Freedom to Flourish

WEEK 6 Freedom to Prevail

WEEK 7 Freedom as a New Creation

HOST GUIDE Additional

PRAYER REQUESTS & Praise Reports

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Additional

GETTING STARTED Roger’s Welcome Letter

When we think of freedom it normally moves us in two directions. There is freedom from the things we long to be delivered from and there is freedom to live the way that we are meant to live. In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul shows us how the Gospel - the good news of who Jesus is and what he has done for us - brings us “freedom from” and “freedom to”. In this seven-week study, Senior Pastor Fred Herron will be covering the book of Galatians both in his weekly sermons, and, in your small group, you will watch a 20-minute video teaching of Fred each week and discuss how we can apply the book of Galatians to our lives. Each week we have included seven daily devotionals. You will get the most out of this experience if you read those devotionals prayerfully and work on applying what you’re learning to your life. Hosts, your guide starts on page 78. If you haven’t yet taken the Spiritual Growth Assessment at sodsod.com/resources now is a great time to take it. It’s a tool to help measure where you are in your journey to become more like Jesus and to give you direction on how to keep growing. God bless, Roger Sodsod Executive Pastor of Adult Ministries Vineyard Church

FREEDOM

SIX WAYS TO GET GOD’S WORD into your life

The Word of God is more than simply a set of guidelines or recommendations. It gives us the foundation for how we live, move, and shape every aspect of our lives. The hand illustration below is a simple way to break down the taking in of God’s Word.

HEARING (Romans 10:17): We gain spiritual insights by listening to the reading of the Word. It can be at church, in small group, or listening to an audio Bible on the YouVersion app on your phone. READING (Revelation 1:3): Reading exposes us to all of God’s Word. A daily reading program, where we start reading and working through the Bible is an essential discipline. STUDYING (Acts 17:11): Studying the Bible personally or in a group helps us dig deeper into God’s truths. When studying the Bible, it is helpful to write down insights so they are more ingrained in our memory and so we can look back on them. MEMORIZING (Psalm 119:9, 11): Memorizing the Word is the most powerful way to change our thinking and give us the mind of Christ. It helps us resist temptations, and gives us ways to share Christ and encourage others. MEDITATING (Psalm 1:2-3): Meditation/reflection connects with the others, like the thumb touches each of the fingers. Taking time to ponder what you’ve read, heard, studied, and memorized will transform your spiritual life. APPLYING (James 1:22): Putting the Word into practice is crucial. Merely obtaining knowledge isn’t our goal, application is, when dealing with God’s Word.

HOW TO

build a relationship with God

When we commit our life to Jesus, we begin a new relationship with Him. We become one of His children. A quiet time helps us get to know Him and helps us learn to trust and rest in Him. Quiet time also helps us build our spiritual endurance so that we can face struggles and hardships. As you go through this Freedom study, you may feel challenged or at times feel like giving up. When you feel doubt creep in, turn to Jesus, spend time in the Bible and seek God’s guidance. Simple Quiet Time Instructions: First, Listen to God: Begin your quiet time by reading a passage of Scripture. Read the passage prayerfully, asking God to speak to you as you read it. As you read the passage, ask the Lord to call to your attention any: example to follow, command to obey, error to avoid, sin to give up, promise to claim, or new thought about God. It is wise to keep a journal to keep a record of your insights and answers to prayer. Second, Talk to God: As you talk to God each day, be sure your conversation touches on these areas: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication (A.C.T.S.). Adoration – (1) Adoration is praising God for who He is. (2) Adoration is showing love to God. (3) God is to be praised for His character. (4) Begin your prayer by praising God. (5) For example, “I love You, God. I praise You for your faithfulness and loving kindness. Confession – (1) Ask the Lord to make you aware of any sins that are hurting your relationship with Him. (2) Confess each sin to the Lord and agree with Him that the sin is wrong. (3) Express your desire to avoid these sins in the future. (4) Right the wrong to whatever extent you can. (5) Accept by faith the fact that you are totally forgiven and cleansed (1 John 1:9). Thanksgiving – (1) Thanksgiving is thanking God for what He has done. (2) Thanksgiving is expressing gratitude. (3) Express your thankfulness for specific things. (4) Cultivate an attitude of gratitude (1 Thessalonian. 5:18). Supplication – (1) Pray (supplicate) for your growth in Christ. (2) Pray for your material needs. (3) Share with God the desires of your heart and trust Him to respond in the best possible way. (4) Supplicate for the needs of OTHER people (also called intercession). God’s grace will meet the needs of that person. TIP: If you want to grow in your knowledge of the Bible, consider taking a Vineyard Bible Exploration (VBX) course or a Vineyard Institute (VI) course at Vineyard Church (check the Grow Guide or vineyardkcnorth.com/grow for more information.)

FREEDOM

Week 1

FREE MEMORY VERSE Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

DOM from guilt & shame Galatians 2:51-21

FREEDOM

Week 1 | Freedom From Guilt & Shame

Day 1

ave you ever been forgiven for something, but still feel some guilt and shame lingering in your heart? Instead of receiving that forgiveness, we often get into a routine of doing things to try to make up for the original offence. In the same way, we try to win His favor by following the rules to the letter and performing “good deeds,” when our faith alone will bring us closer to God. As we walk through these next 50 days together, you’ll be challenged to embrace forgiveness and freedom in new ways. If you’ve been in this situation before, trust that you’re not alone. Paul challenges the Galatians on this specific matter as they were giving up the freedom that Christ gave them. Would you ever submit yourself to slavery again after being set free? Of course, not. However, this was Paul’s question to the Galatians when he saw them turning back to the letter of the law and forgetting their new freedom. Even after learning what Jesus had accomplished on the cross through faith, they still questioned whether or not they should continue to obey the law of Moses. Some of the Galatians had succumbed to the teaching of the Jews who contended that believing in Jesus should be accompanied by following the law. Paul wrote this letter to settle the dispute. In the message, Paul shows how Abraham, who had lived more than four hundred years before the giving of the law, was justified by his faith, not his deeds. Likewise, the Galatians should see themselves as free from the law – free, that is, to serve Christ and be transformed by the Spirit of God. Jesus himself said that He came to set the captives free. Free from what? Free from the bondage of sin, yes, and free also from the requirements of the law, which no one can keep. Jesus doesn’t ask us to prove ourselves by living by rigid rules; He instead wants us to be faithful and trust in Him. Paul, the former Pharisee, who had spent a lifetime straining to observe a law written on stone, had finally learned what God meant when He said, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” God’s plan had always been to show us totally unearned forgiveness, and that unmerited favor was displayed on the cross at Calvary. It is this Paul – this Jew, who had become a new creation in Christ – who says to the Galatians, “I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” Galatians 2:21 We can look at our lives and ask ourselves, am I doing this because of law, rule, or guilty feeling? Or Am I doing this out of faith? As we ask ourselves questions like this more and more, we grow in our relationship with Christ and embrace our freedom.

Notes:

Day 2

Week 1 | Freedom From Guilt & Shame

ren’t you glad that we continue to grow, learn, and see the world differently as we go through our lives? Our experiences allow us to change our opinions and understandings as we increase our knowledge. Much like Saul, we are given opportunities to change if we have gone off course. Initially, Saul (later called Paul) journeyed to Damascus to persecute the new followers of Christ who were gathering to teach the Good News of Jesus. He thought he was making the journey for all the right reasons; after all, he was educated in the Jewish laws. He accepted God and the laws but had not yet accepted Jesus as his God and Forgiver. His goal on that journey was to imprison others for disobeying these laws, and this is where Jesus intercepted his trip. Jesus visited Saul and asked, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?” Acts 9:4

“

God wants to use us right where we are, faults and

all. Don’t be held captive by things that happened in our past.”

After this experience, Saul’s eyes were opened. In his heart, he became a new man and was then called Paul. Paul now had a new mission. He spent the remainder of his life talking about the Good News of Jesus’ totally unearned forgiveness, rather than condemning those who followed Him. Paul did not let anything prevent him from telling his story; even his past. He shared Jesus’ good news and saw Jesus set people free from the law and their rebellion. Paul’s story shows us that we don’t have to be perfect. God wants to use us right where we are, faults and all. Don’t be held captive by things that happened in our past. We are free from guilt, shame, and rebellion as they are already conquered for us by Jesus.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 1 | Freedom From Guilt & Shame

Day 3

ometimes we need to examine our lives through Jesus’ filter of what’s true. We can examine our thoughts and actions, and see if they’re in alignment with God’s plan for our lives. There are also times to lead and gently remind our peers, friends, or colleagues of the truth. That is the situation we find Peter and Paul in today. Peter and Paul were both born Jewish. Peter had the opportunity to be a part of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He was chosen to be a disciple from the early stages of Jesus’ ministry. He saw Jesus heal and forgive those that seemed the least deserving of God’s totally unearned forgiveness. On the other hand, Paul originally opposed Jesus’ followers. He sincerely accepted that the law was the only way to obtain sanctification. It took him meeting Jesus face-to-face, being blinded for three days and regaining his sight to accept the truth that Jesus had taught. You can see that these two men had very different past experiences and worldviews, but came together to share Jesus’ love with people. Paul was only able to help Peter because he accepted that he was forgiven and began to live out his new life. In Galatians 2:15-16, Paul reminds Peter that Jesus was for everybody, Jews and Gentiles alike. God created a way to salvation that was no longer dependent upon the fulfillment of the law but required faith in Jesus and His teachings. Paul wants the Jewish people to understand that there was a purpose for the old law, but that they can never be entirely right with God if they choose only the law and not redemption through Jesus. Paul reassures Peter and the Jewish people they will not be found guilty if they place their faith in Jesus. Instead of trying to earn salvation by keeping the law, Paul encourages the Jews and Gentiles to “place their faith in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross.” Paul gently reminds us to allow Jesus to permeate all our lives. Our old selves have been changed through Jesus’ passionate and zealous love. He loved us enough to give Himself in death. We’re never left to wonder about how great His love is for us. Because of His sacrifice, we are free – free from rebellion and death and free to follow Him in faith and obedience.

Notes:

Day 4

Week 1 | Freedom From Guilt & Shame

n life, we develop our individual do’s and dont’s based on our culture, society, religious beliefs, etc. Sometimes, however, we begin to add on to this list in a way that can restrict our happiness. We create a rule for ourselves based on something we’re ashamed of from our past. We vow never to let something like that happen again which seems excellent and harmless. However, in doing so, we continually remind ourselves of that sin. As we revisit that situation over and over, we can become sucked into negative thoughts about ourselves. This habit can trap us in shame and restrict us from living the life God wants for us. To walk in freedom, we must be certain the difference between guilt and shame. To feel guilt is to be aware that we’ve done something bad; to feel shame is to accept that we are bad people, that something is fundamentally wrong with us. God convicts us of guilt... the knowledge that we made a mistake. When we come to Him and ask for forgiveness, we are set free of that sin. God will never claim that there is something fundamentally wrong with us. And how could He, since He made us perfectly in His image? To make us feel shame would be to contradict Him. He says that we are a new creation in Christ and to live freely in the forgiveness He has given us. God gives us “life do-overs” and what an amazing gift we’ve been given. We may ask, why has He given us this second, third, or fiftieth chance? Because God does more than keep records of our faults. He loves us and wants a relationship with us where we can live a life free from shame. It’s our job to embrace this gift and walk out of the “shame-trap” that we can get stuck in.

“

When you’re unsure of a rule you’ve been following, think through where it came from and when you first began living out that rule. Is it something that keeps you hidden in the darkness? Then, bring it out into the light and accept the freedom of forgiveness.”

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 1 | Freedom From Guilt & Shame

Day 5

love to play games. Their sole purpose is for us to enjoy the time spent playing them! Then I started playing games with my siblings… and I wanted to win… and following every rule was of utmost importance. Five-kid-feuds would break out in our household. Ask anyone in my family about “that pre-Thanksgiving Monopoly game,” we’ll all have a story to tell. Monopoly may have brought out the worst in us. It also shed light on the fact that we missed the point. Every game has rules. You don’t have a game without setting up parameters for how it is played. But the purpose of games is not to follow rules, it’s to enjoy each other and have fun. When the rules become the most important thing, the point is lost, people get angry, and nobody has fun. The church of Galatia didn’t know what to do with all the “rules” of faith. Christianity was new, and they were still figuring out how to walk that life out. So, rules became the most important thing to them, and it began stifling the new believers. When we make these rules the most important thing of our faith, we cut the power from the message of Jesus and place all the responsibility on ourselves to be righteous. The power of the Gospel does not come from our actions, it comes from faith that Jesus took care of our mistakes. Friends, don’t miss the point of faith in Jesus. He is our righteousness. His purpose was to allow us to step freely into an unburdened relationship with Himself. We ask Jesus every day to show us how our performance in this area doesn’t determine our relationship with him. If it did, we’d be missing the point. Jesus is ready to show us the true meaning of grace; the grace he’s already given us. Why not lay down the performance pressure and open ourselves to experience the freedom of grace?

Notes:

Day 6

Week 1 | Freedom From Guilt & Shame

e spoke earlier this week about the relationship between Peter and Paul. They were both given visions at separate times to show them the truth for their lives. Peter, however, had a difficult time holding onto his new perspective, and old habits began to creep back into his life. He began to show favoritism towards those who also accepted and followed the laws of Moses. Paul notices an underlying injustice happening here and reminds Peter of the truth Jesus laid out for them: “In truth, I perceive that God shows no partiality.” Acts 10:34 These specific laws depicted circumcision as the marker of righteousness. Peter had begun discriminating against those who were uncircumcised and treated them as unworthy.

“

God shows us all unearned forgiveness and great grace. It’s our challenge to view everyone with God’s grace-based lens.”

This is another side of shame that we should watch out for; the shame that we inflict on others. Peter had the firm opinion that there was something wrong with those were uncircumcised and made this very clear. Paul gently showed Peter that he was wrong in mistreating the Gentiles and reminded him again of the way God sees His people. Take a moment to reflect. We’re all created by God and loved equally by Him. As we go through life, prejudices, bitterness, and biases can settle into our hearts. We must seek to let go of these things and view others as fellow children of God. We’re all broken but God shows us all unearned forgiveness and great grace. It’s our challenge to view everyone with God’s grace-based lens.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 1 | Freedom From Guilt & Shame

Day 7

here is something about finishing the first week of something new. It brings a sense of accomplishment - a challenge met - that brings confidence to keep going and inspires us to dig deeper. This week we dug into the first layer of Freedom, Freedom from Guilt and Shame. We were reminded of the difference between Peter’s background and walk with Christ compared to Paul’s background and conversion in Christ. Paul wrote this letter to encourage the Galatians to resist old habits of leaning more on the law than on God’s grace and he used Peter as an example. As you pondered this, who did you find yourself relating to more? Maybe you are like Paul, immensely grateful for a sudden “was blind but now I see” transformation, giving you complete confidence that transformation and freedom from your sins comes only through Christ, not in deeds or following the law. If you are more like Peter, you might find yourself frustrated, at times, that the time you’ve spent learning and following Jesus’ words should count for more than the person who hasn’t. Either way you will fall short and never walk with Jesus perfectly. There is no shame in that. We were encouraged every day this week to receive the freedom of grace, freedom from guilt and shame, because we are a new creation in Christ. “I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” Ephesians 2:21 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:12

Notes:

Weekend Notes:

Week 2

FREE MEMORY VERSE Galatians 3:13-14 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross, He took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.â&#x20AC;? Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.

DOM from failure Galatians 3:1-14

FREEDOM

Week 2 | Freedom From Failure

Day 1

eep down, we all want to be “winners.” Nobody wants to fail or lose. In our competitive society, there are many examples. Sports of any kind, from basketball to baseball, we feed off of the desire to win and be the best. The rules of the game dictate whether a team wins or loses. Without rules, it would be very difficult to tell the winners from the losers. When it comes to our faith, we tend to use rules to help us gauge how we’re living. We want to know that we’re “winning.” However, what if the rules require perfection? If winning the prize at the end of life requires one hundred percent perfection, all the time, then all of us have failed. In the Old Testament, God’s rules, or law, were His instructions concerning the moral, social, and spiritual behavior of His people. God required that they be followed and set up the sacrificial system to cleanse His people when they fell short; but Jesus came to fulfill the law, to supersede it. Paul asks, “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you not trying to attain your goal by human effort?” Galatians 3:2-3 NIV Our righteousness, our right standing with God, demands holiness and perfection. We don’t have that ability within us. Jesus explained the law in a deeper way with the Sermon on the Mount when He took each of the Ten Commandments to the heart level. For example, Jesus said, “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28 NIV God sees the real us. Not our poised and polished, law-abiding, good acts. Paul wants the Galatians to understand that their right standing with God isn’t earned by their own efforts, even good and well-intentioned ones. Paul points out that Abraham, the father of faith, was made righteous with God because of his belief. Abraham lived hundreds of years before the law was ever given to Moses (Galatians 3:6). Attempting to follow the law, or trying to earn holiness, might make us “self-righteous,” however, it will never bring us into relationship with God. (Galatians 3:11) Nonetheless, we have a way out of our dilemma. Jesus came and fulfilled the law perfectly, for our sake. (Galatians 3:13-15) Our right standing with God is possible through His grace. Just like Abraham, righteousness with God can be credited to us through faith – our faith in Jesus Christ. The law shows us that we fall short, but Jesus brings us freedom from failure. When we surrender our own efforts and simply receive, by faith, a righteousness that we can never earn, we win! Which will you choose to follow the law or life in the Spirit by faith?

Notes:

Day 2

Week 2 | Freedom From Failure

he central theme of Galatians describes coming into right relationship with God by faith. Paul defends this crucial truth of the gospel to the churches in Galatia. Paul visited Galatia twice, according to Acts 16:6 and Acts 18:23, in what is now primarily modern-day Turkey. As a result of those visits, the Galatians put their faith in Christ. When the Galatians believed in Christ’s death and resurrection, the Spirit of God filled their spirit; but they were still looking for something more in order to be worthy of salvation. Jewish “Christian” church members from Jerusalem were teaching that they needed to add something to their faith, in the way of works, to be in right standing with God. This teaching diminished the grace that God had provided through Christ. It also cultivated pride and a religiosity that was not from God. According to Galatians 3:5, we’re given the Holy Spirit by believing in the sacrifice Jesus made for us by believing in the one true God who loves us. God provides a way for us to have a right relationship with Himself. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9 “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” Romans 3:22 What do we do in our lives to win God’s approval or to feel holier? Is there anything? Because, in reality, there’s absolutely nothing we can add to the cross. Christ did it all for us! We simply need to surrender our life to Him, wholeheartedly receive the new life that He offers, and believe the truth about who we are in Christ.

“

We simply need to surrender our life to Him, wholeheartedly receive the new life that He offers, and believe the truth about who we are in Christ.”

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 2 | Freedom From Failure

Day 3

n Galatians 3, we find new believers who’ve begun insisting on keeping Jewish laws instead of relying on child-like faith in Jesus. There is a false sense of control when we have clear-cut rules to follow, as if we can control and actively participate in our eternal fate. Faith alone seems too easy. Adherence to a clear-cut list of rules makes us feel like good people until the moment we mess up. Because we’re all broken and imperfect people, we’ll never be able to follow God’s laws perfectly. We end up stuck in a cycle of trying to follow all the rules, failing, and trying again. In that cycle, we feel stuck, doomed to fail. This is where we find the Galatians. They began to believe that all Gentiles (all non-Jewish people) had to become Jews in order to become true followers of Jesus. They placed themselves under the heavy burden of salvation by action instead of finding rest in the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus alone. We have great power to live for God through Jesus’ sacrifice, death, and resurrection. Jesus took on all the hurt, evil, broken relationships, and sin on the cross. He stood in our stead and paid the price for our brokenness so that we could live free. While spiritual activities like studying the Bible, prayer, service, and obedience help us grow in our faith, they don’t take the place of Jesus’ sacrifice. Our focus must be on Christ as the foundation of our freedom and salvation. By resting in faith and trusting God to give us grace, we can break away from the cycle of failure. This is the heart of Christian faith: God promises to save us and when we trust Him at His word, through faith we find freedom.

“

Notes:

We have great power to live for God through Jesus’ sacrifice, death, and resurrection. Jesus took on all our failures, hurt, evil, broken relationships, and sin on the cross.”

Day 4

Week 2 | Freedom From Failure

t isn’t our “good deeds” or how well we follow the rules that dictate the good things that come into our life; it’s having a relationship with a gracious God. A few years back, my husband had the itch to sell our house. I loved our house and saw ourselves having children and raising them there. At that time, the housing market was in a downturn, so selling didn’t make sense. When he kept bringing it up, I began to get angry. Reluctantly, I said I would pray about it. Up the street there was a house exactly like ours that had been on the market for a long time, with no offers. That day, I prayed, God, if you want us to sell our house, I need to see that house up the street sell. Literally, the next day, a sold sign was in the yard. I couldn’t believe it. Now, I’m not recommending giving God an ultimatum prayer every time you think you should do something you don’t want to, but in that moment, it was clear! It took me more than a week to tell my husband what had happened. I was convinced, but not exactly happy. Over the next five years, we saw how God took care of us before we even knew what we needed. When God had asked us to sell, we had no idea why. We ended up renting and, later, my husband’s company lost funding, leaving us without income for multiple months. We could never have paid our mortgage during that time. Eventually, my husband had other employment opportunities, and we bought a fixer-upper. Now, we’re building our dream home in which to raise our two daughters. I’ve never once missed our old house. The opportunities we’ve fallen into could seem like dumb luck or coincidence, but we know that God was taking care of us because He is good! What looked like failure from the world’s perspective, giving up our home, was God’s provision. It wasn’t an easy road, but the Lord provided for our family. The story wasn’t over when my husband lost his income. God views our lives from an eternal perspective that we don’t always see, although we can ask Him for His perspective in every situation that we face. My husband and I learned to trust God in a deeper way, for God is faithful when we commit our ways to Him.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 2 | Freedom From Failure

Day 5

here are moments in our walk with Jesus where His power and presence surround us in an unforgettable way. But until we get to Heaven, those moments are simply snippets of time. Most often, our lives follow a predictable rhythm. The challenge comes in learning to live for Christ during the ordinary moments, as well as the extraordinary. Sometimes during those predictable rhythms, we falsely conclude that something is wrong with our spiritual lives or God has left us. There will be days when our faith journey doesn’t feel like an exciting adventure. Those are the times to watch out for an instinctual shift from faith to the glorification of good deeds and busyness. Like the Galatians, we turn from faith to dependence on good works. We feel the urge to keep doing something, keep moving, stay plugged in, or be on top of things. Social norms tell us that if we aren’t actively pursuing something, we’ll never achieve anything. The very idea of relying on someone else for something as important as eternity can cause us to cringe. So instead of finding fulfillment and freedom at the cross, we start adding our own stipulations for right standing before God. We fall into the same trap that the Galatians did by trying to follow enough rules or do good things to earn God’s blessing. While our actions and behaviors are important for spiritual growth, and are a sign of Jesus’ work in our lives, they cannot take the place of faith in Christ or become an end in themselves. A life of faith challenges us to stand on, and agree with, what Christ says about us. We’ve been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, and we’re a new creation! (Colossians 1:13) Our salvation is secure. God has done the work. On the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.” John 19:30 The Greek word translated in this sentence is an accounting term that means “paid in full.” Jesus eliminated the debt of sin owed by mankind - the debt that each one of us could never repay! A life of faith asks us to practice trusting the grace that God has provided through Jesus Christ. We have right standing before God through the cross. Each day we can bring glory and honor to God for the freedom and wholeness that He has given us through Christ.

Notes:

Day 6

Week 2 | Freedom From Failure

fter being unemployed for some time, I was thankful to find a job that provided for my family. After all, I’d prayed for opportunities and God’s continued blessings. When this new opportunity had presented itself, I took a leap of faith, but it didn’t take long before my faith took a back seat, and my focus on accomplishment and success took the lead. I foolishly attempted to define and reach “success” in my own efforts (Galatians 3:3). In reality, I was setting myself up for failure. Eventually, I realized that I’d lost sight of what really mattered and of the eternal perspective regarding my situation. At that point, I released my selfish desires and continued on the path that God had opened for me. Things didn’t look as I expected, but I knew that trusting God would honor Him and bring about an eternal reward, as well as provide peace and hope in the present moment, just as it talks about in Romans 15:13. One morning, while driving to this exhausting job I prayed, God, if I’m not supposed to be here, close the door because you know I won’t give up because we need the income. That evening, after long hours on the job, they called and ended my contract. God had answered my prayer. To some it probably appeared as a failure, but my family and I maintained hope and excitement about what God had planned for us next. “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9 I decided to conduct my own exit interview and jotted down what I’d learned from the job, good and bad. Since then, I’ve applied this experience to circumstances that I’ve encountered. Those lessons, although difficult, have been a blessing to me and my family. I’m continually in awe that when I decided to be led by the Holy Spirit and trust God, I discovered blessings and strength that I hadn’t anticipated. “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 2 | Freedom From Failure

Day 7

n the movie Apollo 13, Gene Kranz is credited with the quote “Failure is not an option.” For those unfamiliar with the movie or the real-life drama, the crew on Apollo 13 was faced with numerous life-threatening obstacles. At one point, the ground crew team leaders were meeting to discuss the crisis and share with Gene that the chances of bringing the astronauts back to earth alive were unlikely. Gene, the flight director, listened to the issues, developed a plan, and asked his staff to begin executing it. As a final charge, he said that failure was not an option. I love this movie because it portrays the heroism and dedication of those involved in the drama. However, each time I watch it, I am also inspired by God’s love. In Galatians 3:9, God says that those who rely on faith are blessed. And, although the movie does not address it, I know that those men and women had tremendous faith. Without God, the happy ending of this story would never would have happened. We have all had times in our lives when we felt as though our circumstances were overwhelming. We think that our chances of success are slim; if not, impossible. And, it might feel like failure is the only option. It is at those moments that we need to turn to God. We need to tell Him our circumstance and ask for His help and guidance. Remember what God tells us in Isaiah 41:10 NIV “So, do not fear for I am with you.” Faith in God is the answer to all of life’s questions. We need to have faith that God loves us and listens to us. Matthew 19:26 NIV says, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” So, we don’t need to feel overwhelmed or like we have failed, because God is with us.

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Faith in God is the answer to all of life’s questions. We need to have faith that God loves us and listens to us.”

Notes:

Weekend Notes:

FREE Week 3

MEMORY VERSE Galatians 3:28-29 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

DOM of unconditional love Galatians 3:15-4:31

FREEDOM

Week 3 | Freedom Of Unconditional Love

Day 1

magine being adopted into a family with an older brother who acts like he is dad’s favorite. He says he always follow the rules; and, he reminds you that he was here before you came along. If you are going to “fit in”, you need to learn from him and do what he does; he’s nice, but his words sting a little. He offers to take you under his wing and begins to explain these rules you need to follow if you want fit in. Your father never told you about any of these rules, but you really want to fit in. So, you listen closely and start doing what he says. However, it seems like the rules are impossible to follow and are never ending. Just when you think you’ve got the rules down, your brother comes along and points out something else that you did wrong and gives you another rule you should follow. You know deep down in your heart that your Dad is loving, kind and wants the best for you but you wonder if you can ever be good enough to deserve this love. In Galatians 3:15-4:31, Paul teaches the “adopted” Galatians that they are children who have inherited the unconditional love of our Father because of their belief in Jesus. The people who have been telling them that they must follow the Jewish laws to be made right with God are off-base and out of line. Paul teaches them that the Jewish laws were given to show people their sins, their imperfections, and their need for a Savior. Paul explains that the Jewish laws existed as a guardian for God’s children until Jesus would come and redeem us through faith. The law is a “care-taker” and shows us how we should live, but it’s not a “life giver” (Galatians 3:24-15). We don’t earn God’s favor by following rituals or observing certain days or months. We don’t earn it by impressing people with our deeds, our eloquent prayer language, or what we eat or drink. We earn favor with God by believing in His Son, Jesus, and the work He has already done for us. This is freely given by the Father through faith, unconditional love to those who accept it and believe. Paul tells the Galatians that there are two kinds of children of God; slaves or free (Galatians 4:22). The slave child is human effort to bring about God’s promises. This child claims he deserves to be God’s child because he has followed all the rules and declares himself righteous in his Father’s eyes. Paul says that we, like the Galatians, are free children of God’s promise – children of faith (Galatians 4:28). God’s love for us isn’t conditional upon us following rules. Its only condition is believing. It’s undeserved love. It’s G.R.A.C.E: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

Notes:

Day 2

Week 3 | Freedom Of Unconditional Love

e live in a society that values hard work, we respect individuals that “earn every penny they make”. We respect those who don’t look to anyone for help. We love the classic American self-starter. We idolize entrepreneurial men and women who take an idea and with a lot of hard work, build their idea into successful enterprises. Often times, we want to apply this same spirit of competition and hard work and apply it to our faith. We look for some kind of ranking system where we can earn “God points” and become a “good Christian”. Some believe that if they do enough good deeds in their life that they’ll earn enough points to enter Heaven. This however is not the way it works…

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Grace is at the center of Jesus’ message and grace is at the center of our healing.”

God has given us the greatest gift of all – grace. How do you “earn” grace? The simple answer is that you don’t, it’s a gift, all you have to do is receive it. Now for some of us we accept grace with open arms, allowing God’s love into our lives. But to some accepting something without earning it is very difficult. They are much more comfortable earning what they receive, knowing that they “deserve” it. But we don’t deserve it grace. We are all sinners who fall short of the grace of God, but God gives grace to us anyway. So why do some have issues in accepting grace? For many, it’s an issue of unforgiveness of themselves. When conducting ministry, I’ve often found that people are quick to forgive others but slow to forgive themselves. Their thinking usually centers around the idea that while they are required to forgive others, they have the right to withhold forgiveness for themselves. In truth however, the Bible does not apply a different standard when it comes to forgiving ourselves. By not forgiving ourselves, we are in effect saying that Jesus died for no reason. Grace is at the center of Jesus’ message and grace is at the center of our healing.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 3 | Freedom Of Unconditional Love

Day 3

ave you ever heard the expression: “It’s like herding cats!” Imagine, trying to round up stray cats. You’re trying to lead them into a cage that will transport them to a safer place. However, wild cats (even domesticated cats) will run, crouch, jump, scatter, climb on, claw and bite those who try to capture them. They come up with all kinds of ways that they think will get them to a place of safety. If you’re going to ‘round them up’, you’ll need to go after one cat at a time. Be ready to corral the kitty into a closed in space. Then make certain you’ve got on lots of thick, clawdeflecting clothing; not only all the way up your arms, but on your ankles and legs. Cats climb trees and they will climb you! They will claw and climb up to head or shoulders and then leap off in a wild direction to get away. Ouch! When reading Galatians, I think Paul was expressing similar feelings as he tried to round up the new believers in new churches who had been misled by legalistic ideology. Most of Paul’s letters were written down by scribes as Paul recited his thoughts. If you read the third and fourth chapters of Galatians out loud, you’ll feel his frustration. He is voicing angst to new believers who were being told they had to live under the former covenant of laws and rules to reach and please God. He compared his irritation to being in childbirth again for the same child. Galatians 4:19-20 Consider how Paul compared believers under the old covenant to young children who are under the care of guardians and teachers until they come of age. (Galatians 4:2-7) When they become adults, they don’t have to return to the classroom to learn the basics. They are done with that. They are now free to be adults and use the lessons learned to be men and women who accept their inheritance of faith with the love, respect and gratefulness. He tries to explain that a person cannot perform or earn their way into God’s heart. The old way of the law given through Moses as a mediator was like maintaining a checklist: attend Sunday church-check, give money to charity-check, be nice to a stranger-check, read a chapter of the Bible every morning-check. The old way set up the path for sustaining the child until the time came to release the child into a new permanent grown-up home. The new covenant established through the sacrifice of Jesus, provides a direct link to a relationship with God: freedom from checklists, release from the bondage of legalism, no earned bonus points or extra blessings for actions. These are the promises of God’s unconditional and unfailing love. Paul’s letter is a plea to believers, Jewish and Gentile, that the age of running this way and that way and doing this thing or that thing to please God is over. Now the time has come through faith in Jesus to let ourselves be rescued. Accept God’s freely given gift of forgiveness and eternal life. Let’s allow ourselves to be carefully picked up out of a sinful life and brought to a new safe home through faith where freedom and love abound.

Notes: 32

Day 4

Week 3 | Freedom Of Unconditional Love

y husband and I moved here away from our families therefore our friends are what made this our home away from home. Our friends and we had started our families together, celebrated holidays together, and did life together. As our friend base continued to grow we loved and trusted those around us. About five years of close friendships had developed before a division began to happen. Division that began based on a single family’s judgment. Their judgment was passed on our family for reasons not known to us. My husband and I were singled out and friendships that had developed over years were now being manipulated and deceived into labeling us outcasts. We were separated from our friends and were asked to no longer join the gatherings; our kids were no longer able to be with their friends. It was devastating. During such desolation, we were filled with disbelief, disgust, bitterness, and many more emotions. It was all consuming, isolated and exiled we were robbed of our joy. Our first defense was to attempt to expose the lies that were being told, to defend our position, and our character. We were losing our hope, until a dear friend of ours, not involved yet aware of the judgment against us, reminded us to look to God, He is our defender. (Psalm 62:5-7 GNT) This verse is what our family meditated on. The truth and promise that God protects us through his unconditional love. We were willing to let go of our worldly defense knowing that God would step in and guide us in the direction we needed to go and that He would heal our family as we moved forward focusing on Him. As time passed, God’s promise came full circle as some families returned to ours with apologies and asking for forgiveness allowing relationships to be mended through God’s unconditional love He bestowed on us. It was amazing to see how freeing it was to hand over the heartache and betrayal to God and to keep the eternal perspective and not to be short sighted in the here and now.

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It was amazing to see how freeing it was to hand over the heartache and betrayal to God and to keep the eternal perspective and not to be short sighted in the here and now.”

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 3 | Freedom Of Unconditional Love

Day 5

or the past few months, God has been hammering this idea into my consciousness. And it hasn’t been an easy one to digest. It’s different. And it just seems a little backward: being comes before doing.

I’ve found myself asking God a question on repeat: “What do you want me to DO?” Because what we do determines who we are. At least, that’s the way it feels. This question is wellintentioned, but it’s the wrong one to ask. Jesus invites us to ask a different question – one that releases true freedom into our lives. Who am I to be? This question seeks to bring identity. Its answer floods into deep parts of ourselves. For the longest time, I was convinced that what I did determined who I was. Do the right “Christian stuff”, become a good Christian. The entirety of my growing up years were filled with pressure to perform well, and shame Who am I to be?” when I didn’t. It was exhausting and left me feeling trapped and empty.

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But then came Jesus. And He gave me a new question to ask. “What am I to be?” Well, I am his. I am loved. I am pure. I am strong. I am forgiven. I am precious. And so much more. So are you. And it’s not because of what we did! I already failed that one! Because of Jesus, we get to be these things. And if we allow this truth to seep into the deepest parts of our lives and our faith, our doing, which we focus too much on, will flow naturally from this place of being. Being is the starting point. Not the other way around. This is the freedom Paul preaches to the Galatian church. We aren’t expected to do anything to be good enough. Jesus already took care of that. We are loved unconditionally. Did you catch that? Without condition. That’s the safest place to be. So, what is the performance pressure or failure that keeps you from Jesus? Let it go. Right now. It is not so important that it will change what Jesus thinks of us. You matter more to Jesus than that thing. And He’s waiting with open arms.

Notes:

Day 6

Week 3 | Freedom of Unconditional Love

n the movie Saving Private Ryan, three of four brothers are killed in battle. To keep his mother from becoming childless through the ravages of war, a team is commissioned to find him and return him home. As the team of eight men, scour the French countryside they question why the army is risking eight lives to save one? The men find themselves in real and present danger time and again. One night the Captain leading the search says to his men, “This Ryan had better be worth it. He better do something important with his life. He better become a doctor and cure some disease or invent a longer-lasting light bulb or something.” When they finally find Private Ryan, he is duty bound and can’t leave his post. The Captain and his men decide to stay and help in the fight. Most of the men are killed including the Captain who says with his dying breath to Private Ryan, “Earn this. Earn it.” Later towards the end of the movie Private Ryan an older man now, visits the graveside of the Captain and the other men who died risking their lives for his. Remembering the Captains final words he says to his wife, “Tell me I’m a good man. Tell me I’ve lived a good life.” His entire life’s worth became defined on the battlefield that day by the words the Captain spoke to him. For the next fifty years he would try to “earn” his right to life, to be worthy of their sacrifice. How many of us live with that same struggle? Jesus risked it all to save one, to save all. And what is amazing is that he never said we needed to earn it. He never said for us to make it worth the sacrifice. Instead we read the words of the Bible, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NIV His sacrifice was given freely, without conditions, without expectations. The only thing we need to do is to believe in Him and receive His perfect gift. No strings attached. I think most of us struggle with the same feelings of unworthiness that Private Ryan did. This is a great time to search our hearts and inner thoughts and reflect upon the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us. It can be difficult to fully grasp the gift we have received and even harder to feel worthy of such a gift. But, I know Jesus would say we are worth it. Starting today let’s begin to rid ourselves of feelings of guilt and condemnation and instead, let’s focus on Jesus, as the one who is able to wash away our sins and clothe us in righteousness. Let’s speak that truth to any thoughts of unworthiness we are holding onto and begin to walk in the perfect freedom that Jesus gives us.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 3 | Freedom Of Unconditional Love

Day 7

his week we learned that followers of Christ are no longer under the law, but are now under grace, which came through Jesus. For many of us we like rules, they help us measure how well we are doing. Grace can feel scary, too free. But, when we realize what grace gives us, it is so much better than any law could ever bring. Through grace, we became heirs to God, and are adopted into His family. Through grace our sins are forgiven and we have been redeemed. Fear can drive obedience to the law, however, love drives the desires of grace. We are able to be obedient to the teachings of God not because we fear punishment if we mess up, but because the love of Christ in us longs to become more like Christ. This week let’s focus on what motivates us. Do we do the “right” thing out of a need to appear holy or from a place of fear? Or do we let the influence of Christ in us lead our responses to people and situations? Let us pray every day that we become more like Christ and every place we are held in bondage to the law, God would pour His grace upon it, so we may walk in the true freedom of Christ.

Notes:

Weekend Notes:

Week 4

FREE MEMORY VERSE Galatians 5:16-17 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

DOM from dead ritual Galatians 5:1-21

FREEDOM

Week 4 | Freedom From Dead Ritual

Day 1

aul makes a bold statement right at the beginning of chapter five. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5:1 NIV Freedom is ours for the taking - for eternity and right now. So why is it such a challenge to live in the freedom that the Bible describes? Backing up to the Old Testament, relationship with God was lived under the Old Covenant. The list of laws was long (613 laws to be exact!) in order to be righteous. Because no one could keep the law, Jesus Christ lived and died to accomplish what the law required. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17 NIV Jesus became the cleansing sacrifice for us. When we put our faith in Christ, and His death on the cross, God views us solely through the sacrifice of His Son. “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” Romans 10:4 NIV God superimposes Christ’s sacrifice on us when we believe in the One who purifies us. It’s no longer a righteousness that comes through what we do, as in the Old Testament. Faith now supersedes performance. Freedom begins as we embrace the great mystery of our right standing with God. Christ said on the cross, “It is finished.” John 19:30 NIV Christ’s sacrifice covers our past, present, and future sins. We enter into this relationship, a divine dance, by our own choice and act of our will. But there’s more. Freedom is a changed mindset. We put ourselves in position for God to accomplish, by His Spirit, what we can’t do by our own merit or power - transform us. Our viewpoint changes primarily as we worship, listen to Biblical teaching, read the Scriptures for ourselves and address our emotional wounds. Doing so, we increasingly see God more clearly and not through the lens of our own experiences. It’s putting aside the do’s and don’ts, the shoulds and oughts. No longer must we earn love or acceptance from God - we simply act on what is already ours as His son or daughter. It’s a bit like flying to a destination for our next vacation or business trip. By an act of our will we prepare for the flight, walk on the plane and buckle-up for take-off. But the airplane takes over from there, hurtling down the runway and climbing to altitudes we could never reach on our own. We’re an active participant, but it’s not our power that takes us from point A to point B. Christ offers us freedom here and now. Each day, the Holy Spirit will empower us as we invite Him into our life and enter the divine dance that has been planned for us from the very beginning of time.

Notes: 40

Day 2

Week 4 | Freedom From Dead Ritual

o, Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” Galatians 5:1 Paul was writing to the people of Galatia, but he was also rebuking some of the Jewish people who were teaching new believers about the law. The Jews had followed the very strict and rigorous Old Testament law. The law brought them redemption, and their sacrifices guaranteed sanctification. After salvation, the Jews were having a difficult time separating the law from righteousness by faith alone.

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There are many times I find myself more focused on the rules and expectations of Christianity. I gravitate towards consistency, and much like the Jewish people, I often forget about the importance of faith and servant-hood.”

The Galatians weren’t familiar with Jewish law, and Paul wanted the people of Galatia to choose faith and servant-hood over rules and regulations. Jesus came to the world as a Jew, but He offered salvation to all. Jesus fully understood what it meant to love someone more than yourself. Jesus was radical in His servant-hood to others. Paul wanted the Galatians, and the Jews, to not be bound to the law but to experience freedom through Jesus. Paul instructed them, “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13 There are many times I find myself more focused on the rules and expectations of Christianity. I gravitate towards consistency, and much like the Jewish people, I often forget about the importance of faith and servant-hood. In Galatians 5:14, Paul says that the whole law can be summed up in one statement, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus always chose to love others. He showed grace to the worst of sinners. I’m thankful that we’re not under the Jewish law. Choosing to mirror Jesus is challenging enough. I’m constantly failing. But I choose daily to be more like Jesus, and choose His ways over my own. Paul knew that choosing God’s unmerited favor would bring a newfound freedom. And like the Galatians, as we reflect Jesus and His ways, we’ll serve one another more fully and completely.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 4 | Freedom From Dead Ritual

Day 3

he law shows us ourselves as compared to God’s perfection. It reveals our faults and brokenness. God calls inherently destructive behaviors “sin” yet He understands we can’t keep the law by ourselves. He sent His Son, Jesus to stand in our place. Through Jesus, we can receive grace. Grace came to free us from the law. In order to live “under the law”, you must obey and keep the whole law. Break one, break them all. Grace operates from a place of “I do good because Jesus is good.” When we have His love in our hearts and we lead from that place. The laws found in the Old Testament become fulfilled. It is not outward performances of rule following but God’s grace and love within us that makes the difference. We are to live in the freedom Jesus has given us, and not set the law above His sacrifice and become slaves to it. If we choose to be in bondage to the law, we rob ourselves of spiritual freedom. Ask God to search us and to work in the places within us we try to control or strive for outward perfection. Ask Him to help sew divine seeds in every area of our lives so that each encounter we have will bear the fruit that only He can grow.

Notes:

Day 4

Week 4 | Freedom From Dead Ritual

can’t remember a time when I didn’t love Jesus. I loved Jesus so much that, at times, I felt my heart would burst, especially when singing praises. I grew up in church and loved worship. When my daughters were born, I committed to raise them in church and teach them to love Jesus too. But somewhere along the way I picked up the “yoke of slavery” that Paul warned us about. When did I stop standing firm? When did it become more about the “law,” making my religion predictable, instead of real? When did worship become routine? Sadly, I can’t answer those questions. Thankfully, I do remember when I broke free. I was in my early 30’s, and my daughters were small. One Sunday morning, my husband and I were sitting in the third pew from the front. We stood up to sing and, although my lips were singing, my mind was preparing a mental list of groceries to buy on the way home. Suddenly, I had These people an out-of-body experience. I saw that my singing to God sounded like the teacher in the Charlie Brown come near to me cartoons, Wa-Wa, Wa-Wa, Wa-Wa. It got really hot with their mouth fast, as I felt the heat from what I was sure had to be a spotlight shining down upon me. I looked around, and honor me embarrassed and convinced that someone surely must have witnessed that I had just been schooled with their lips, by God.

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but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”

My lips were honoring Him, but my heart and mind were far away. Isaiah 29:13 NIV says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” I am eternally thankful for God showing me the need to break free from dead ritual so that, once again, I have the freedom that Christ desires and the transforming power of heartfelt worship.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 4 | Freedom From Dead Ritual

Day 5

f we attempt to live a perfect life by following every law and good works, we’re setting ourselves up for failure. That sounds harsh but it’s actually the key to true freedom. God’s grace isn’t a license to act however we’d like but, instead, it gives us the freedom from legalism. First, we must understand why the law was given. To show us God’s perfection and how fall short we’ve all fallen from that perfection. “I would not have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, ‘You must not covet” Romans 7:7. So, what went wrong? “But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died.” Romans 7:8-9 What is the result? “So, I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to ring life, brought spiritual death instead.” Romans 7:10. Jesus’ death and resurrection provides the solution. Sin and brokenness entered the world through the very first human, Adam, and every one of us is broken and unable to live up to the perfection of God. “So God did what the law could not do. He sent His own Son... God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4. Jesus walked this earth without sin. His perfection fulfill the law that we cannot keep. The blood of the One who fulfilled the law was shed for our benefit, that we might have life through faith in Him. God gives us grace and freedom from the law through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Notes:

Day 6

Week 4 | Freedom From Dead Ritual

hat does Paul mean when he says in Galatians 5:6 NIV, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love?”

Love for others is a good barometer of our faith. The notes in my NIV study Bible define faith as not a mere intellectual agreement but a living trust in God’s grace that expresses itself in acts of love. Faith produces action. A desire to serve the Lord in gratitude for giving us new life. The moment we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and brings us into right relationship with God. But God wants more for us. He wants our thoughts, our actions, and our desires to reflect Him and His Kingdom. Among other things, this involves the renewing of our mind. Renewing our mind is a choice and a process. It brings an amazing rest to our soul. That rest allows us to work for the Kingdom without striving. We can serve and minister to others because we know that we’re completely loved and accepted by God - nothing to prove. Therefore, we can truly love and give to others out of trust that God will provide our needs because we know that we’re profoundly loved. We live in a performance-oriented society. Many of us grew up steeped with performance, where we were loved based on our behavior and actions. In other words, we were loved conditionally. There’s a way out of that trap, but it’s a choice we make - sometimes daily. To break that bondage, we choose to forgive those who modeled or gave us conditional love. And we can forgive ourselves for taking on that way of life with its invisible high bar. As those who struggle with this issue know, performance is a burden to say the least and bondage in its full-blown form. Being freed from performance allows us to love others unconditionally and, just as important, to love and accept ourselves. It allows us to rest in the love that God longs for us to receive. This freedom releases us to express love to others in words and actions as an ongoing demonstration of our faith. It’s a love born out of unconditional acceptance from our Heavenly Father, as His beloved sons and daughters.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 4 | Freedom From Dead Ritual

Day 7

his we read, “Freedom is a changed mindset. We put ourselves in position for God to accomplish by His Spirit what we can’t do by our own merit or power – transform us.”

Jesus quoted the verse in Isaiah 29:13 when He was calling out the Pharisees, the religious leaders, on their hypocrisy. We’re all capable of hypocrisy. It’s so easy to just go through the motions. At some point, each one of us can probably relate to this week’s personal story. We’ve all sung, prayed, and went through days without engaging our heart into our activities. It’s easy to get caught up in the routine and neglect to give God our heart.

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Freedom is a changed mindset. We put ourselves in position for God to accomplish by His Spirit what we can’t do by our own merit or power – transform us.”

To prevent that from happening, when we wake up, it’s helpful to mentally surrender to God. Tell Him you’re here to worship Him, to connect with Him, and to hear from Him. In this week’s Bible verses we’re told, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself thru love.” Christ died to set us free from sin and a long list of laws and regulations. Knowing that makes me feel so very relieved. Jesus gave up His deity to come to earth. He didn’t have to do that! It’s a testament of how very much we’re loved and treasured by God. Jesus seeks to ease our burdens and make our yoke light! Galatians 5:13-21 gives us specific instructions on how to remain free in Christ. Allowing ourselves to be led by the Spirit, loving our neighbor as ourselves, and serving one another in love are all keys to remaining free from our sinful nature and living under the law. Paul’s encouragement to the Galatians rings true down through the ages: “So, I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” Galatians 5:16

Notes:

Weekend Notes:

FREE Week 5

MEMORY VERSE Galatians 5:22-23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

DOM to f lourish Galatians 5:22-26

FREEDOM

Week 5 | Freedom To Flourish

Day 1

ast week we talked about Freedom from Dead Rituals. This week we’re looking at what it means to flourish in our lives.

God created humanity and gave us the extraordinary and unique ability to choose. However, the first man and woman chose to live according to their own will which shattered our relationship with God and others. Looking around the world, we see injustice and pain as a result of humanity’s brokenness. But God did not leave us to struggle alone. Through Jesus we have the freedom to live in His love and protection. In Paul’s letter to churches in Galatia. Paul confirms that Jesus is the Savior who releases us from destructive, selfish choices. Paul writes how the teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus has given freedom from past struggles. We are blessed with forgiveness and need only to receive it. This new freedom allows for the Spirit of God to enter into our hearts and sow God’s goodness deep within. Seeds of virtue will produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-26 While we’re still on Earth, we feel the conflict between good and evil. But we also see glimpses of Heaven breaking into our world and into our lives. We’re urged to leave old destructive, selfish ways behind while allowing God to change and strengthen us from within. All of this is a gift, says Paul, not something that can be earned. We don’t need to compete to determine who is the most virtuous or spiritually strong. We’re to focus on growing in our relationship with God while sharing His love with others around us.

Notes:

Day 2

Week 5 | Freedom To Flourish

y husband and I have a great time taking friends to see Sporting KC games in Kansas City. We join thousands of fans to watch the world’s most talented professional soccer players show their athletic talent and love for the sport. But we have a secret. Neither one of us knows anything about the game of soccer. The real reason we have so much fun at these games is the excitement of being part of the inexhaustible, unbelievably loud, all-game-long, super fun cheering fans. On one end of the field sits the outrageous KC Cauldron drum corps with hundreds of truly fanatic fans armed with huge drums and loud voices. “Boom-ba-boom-boom boom-boom-boom.” The drum corps leader hollers chants and the Cauldron faithfully echoes them back. The Leader: “I believe…” The repeat: “I believe…” “I believe that…” “I believe that…” “I believe that we will win!” “I believe that we will win!” Then the entire stadium crowd bursts into a chest-vibrating ear-ringing pounding chant! It repeats over and over with thunderous drums beating out the words and stomping feet drowning out the announcer’s voice. Sometimes we have so much fun we forget to watch the game. (Oh, did we score?) Now, what would happen if our joyful crowd of fans began arguing about who loves the team more? What if they began to brag about who is the best fan or loudest fan or the fan who understood the team better than anyone else? How would the players feel about that? What would people outside the stadium think about that? News reports have shown the real results of fans from opposing soccer teams launching into horrible fights resulting in serious injuries, damage and disruption. What if fans for the same team began fighting? This would create total chaos and take all of the fun out of the game. What would happen if we treated our faith that way? Or our church that way? Or other believers that way? In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he admonishes the new believers to understand that faith in Christ’s sacrifice gave freedom from laws, but not freedom to sin. In fact, he reminds believers that being truly filled with the Spirit as a result of faith will instead create a desire to behave differently. Like a new plant bursting with healthy new fruit on every branch, the Spirit of God will produce something beautiful and new in each new believer. Paul writes the fruit of the Spirit shows up as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. The old self-focused passions should be gone. Our old practices of conceit and competitiveness, provoking arguments, and envy should have faded away replaced by a new attitude. Living in the joy of faith doesn’t mean we can’t be fanatical fans for God! Paul encourages us to keep in beat with the Spirit’s calling as we fire up our hearts in the way that pleases God and inspires others to cheer along with us. Bring your friends and family. Show them the best of the new you. Join us in the jam-packed stadium of faithfilled cheering fans of God. Now that’s something to cheer about! “I believe that He will win!” Boom-ba-boom-boom boom-boom-boom!

Notes: FREEDOM

Week 5 | Freedom To Flourish

Day 3

hen I was about 7 years old, my mother decided it was time for me and my younger brother to learn to swim. On the morning of the first day of our swimming lessons, we stood in our brand new swimming suits and bare feet on the pool’s edge and realized why no one else was there. It was cold! The sun’s light was not yet hot enough to warm the pool water. Our excitement over the new pool turned into fear of freezing to death. Suddenly the energetic and friendly instructor clapped her hands and told us not to worry. She said, “Just jump in the water. You’ll be fine!” We and other children in the class shook our heads ‘no way’ as our knees knocked with chill and trepidation. My brother and I hesitantly slid down some steps on the shallow end, held on to the ledge and begin kicking our legs as instructed. That warmed us up. So we kicked and kicked and kicked. We were learning to swim! There were several more lessons in the weeks ahead. We shivered and kicked and shivered and kicked. The water grew warmer over time and getting in was much easier. The first day the pool was open, my brother and I rushed in and saw two little girls standing there, shivering. We said to the girls, “Just jump in the water. You’ll be fine!” Excitement about a dream may get us to the pool’s edge, but we need encouragement and courage to jump in and keep moving. We need to stay focused and allow ourselves to be led by Jesus, Who’s trustworthy and will never leave us. We’ll face obstacles in life but as we learn to rely on God and follow Him, we grow and flourish.

Notes:

Day 4

Week 5 | Freedom To Flourish

have been inspired and taught the importance of the Fruit of the Spirit at Children’s Mercy Hospital where I’ve been a nurse for 32 years. I have witnessed great suffering. I have seen and cared for patients and parents at their worst physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It is during these trying times that those who’ve filled their lives with the Fruit of the Spirit stand out and are easily identifiable. When the body fails, emotions are out of control. But when God is in control there is a love that is a response to a need. A joy that is not dependent on circumstance. Peace and incomprehensible patience in times of chaos. There is a kindness and goodness that draws like a magnet and a faithfulness that is steadfast despite outcome. Living in a relationship with God gives us the strength and comfort to go through these trials with grace. Without Jesus, it’s unnatural for us to respond this way. As we surrender to Him and grow in relationship with Him we begin to grow and His love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control begin to take root in our hearts. As we seek Him and follow Him in our lives, we become more like Him. The patients I work with speak of super heroes with superpowers but the most beautiful superpower and sweetest miracle , for me, is how Jesus changes our hearts day-by-day.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 5 | Freedom To Flourish

Day 5

o you want to bear the fruit of the Spirit? Do you want to do things you otherwise couldn’t, feel things you didn’t, and know things you wouldn’t, all of which blesses you immeasurably and brings glory to God? That is what the power of a Spirit filled life does. There is freedom in a life filled with the fruit of the Spirit. It’s the living proof that the Spirit of God dwells in us! Because it is supernatural and comes from God, you cannot grow, learn, or produce the fruit on your own. The only way you can develop the fruit is by maintaining an intimate relationship with God. We are designed to be spiritual beings. Our goal is to live in the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit. It’s a deliberate choice we make; to yield. To consciously surrender our lives to God and let Him fill our hearts, minds and lives. God is not hiding the Fruit of the Spirit from us but rather He wants to lead us so that we can grow in love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. So, spend time with God and in God’s word. Seek after Him. Pray and yield. Pray for the desire to hear and the readiness to obey God’s Word. Pray for the sensitivity to discern between your feelings and God’s promptings. Ask each day to be controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Notes:

Day 6

Week 5 | Freedom To Flourish

hat is the good life? Today’s focus and application will be on the good life that God offers. It is life God’s way. It is the life of God’s Spirit.

About ten years ago a businessman by the name of Bob Buford wrote a book called Halftime. His premise was that people who experience traditional success (money, fame, power, etc) in the first half of their life leave them feeling empty. But by transitioning in “the second half” to a new definition of success and significance, life can be lived at its most rewarding. How do we find the freedom to succeed and flourish? When we choose to follow Jesus, the grace of God and the working of the Holy Spirit empowers us to be and act like Jesus. This is true freedom - being and acting like Jesus. Remember several truths: · God is good. He loves us. We can trust Him. He daily pours out His love upon us. He is our good, good Father. Our true identity is in God. · Daily (minute by minute, hour by hour) rely and depend upon God’s mercy and grace, His words of promise and the power of His spirit - not our own strength or good deeds. So we experience the limitless love of Almighty God all through the day.

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Living in the fruit of the Spirit, centered in the love of Jesus, is a process. Fruit doesn’t grow overnight. It takes time.”

Living in the fruit of the Spirit, centered in the love of Jesus, is a process. Fruit doesn’t grow overnight. It takes time. It is intentional. When we blow it, practice “spiritual breathing” - breathe out, confessing your sin breathe in, receiving immediate forgiveness. We are loved by our gracious God as much as He loves Jesus. The fruit of the Spirit begins and is summed up in unconditional love. The good life is the life of the Spirit; being and acting like Jesus; because God loves us and wants us to trust and rely on Him daily. Out of His love His fruit breaks forth in and through us.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 5 | Freedom To Flourish

Day 7

n order to flourish in freedom it is essential to understand and experience that God is good and only good. It is also essential to live daily “marinating” in His love. The greatest gift God has for us is Himself - His love.

The fruit of the Spirit is love. The rest of the fruit is like God’s love shining through a prism. God’s single white light (love) is then broken up into the rest of the component parts, which are listed below. Fruit happens when the life of Jesus is in us and is released through us. Love - God’s sacrificial, unconditional affection for us. Why does it help us to love better when we know how much God first loved us? Joy - No matter what happens, we feel happy inside and understand God’s plan for our life. How can we be content when we’re having a bad day? Peace - Not worried because we’ve have found peace with God, peace with others and peace with ourselves. Is it possible to be peaceful even when facing stress and worries? Fruit happens when the Patience - Not getting angry quickly, but being patient, even when things are going wrong. What is the longest time you have had to wait for something?

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life of Jesus is in us and is released through us.”

Kindness and Goodness - Choosing to be kind and good in our relationships with others. How can we include someone who is usually left out? Faithfulness - Keeping promises to God and others. What areas of faithfulness do you need God’s help on? Gentleness - Being thoughtful, considerate and calm with others, choosing to value them. Have you had an experience where gentleness and humility helped calm someone down? Self-Control - Having power through Jesus to control ourselves. Are you learning to say “no” as well as “yes”? A helpful confession: I am a well-loved child of God, set free by the blood of Jesus, the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit; who is growing in trust, gratitude and love for God and others with the unbounded conviction that God is good.

Notes:

Weekend Notes:

FREE Week 6

MEMORY VERSE Galatians 6:2 Share each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

DOM to prevail Galatians 6:1-10

FREEDOM

Week 6 | Freedom To Prevail

Day 1

aul’s close relationships to the churches he was writing to in the book of Galatians is a reason for the strong tone he takes when writing to them. It’s evident that he wanted to ensure they were on a path of truth and unity. It was of utmost importance that they understood their role as a believer in the church, especially in regard to bearing one another’s burdens. In Galatians 6:1-10, Paul gives them some practical instruction in regard to one believer’s responsibility to another believer. In contrast to the way a legalist dealt with sin, by condemning, Paul points to the duty of a believer to act out of love. It’s clear that we must not compare ourselves or our sin to that of another believer. When we measure our own heart against the holiness of God, it becomes evident that we all fall short of the glory of God. And for that reason, we’re to walk alongside people with grace and mercy - not judgment. Pride and self-righteousness must be put aside because without God, we are lost. Rather than bragging about ourselves, we are to give credit to God’s work in our hearts and lives. This humility allows us to come alongside others as a friend and gently guide them towards Jesus. Paul concludes this section by reminding us “you will always harvest what you plant.” Galatians 6:7b. If we spend our earthly life sowing seeds of judgment, selfishness, or comparison, then we’ll reap the consequences of those choices. But when we sow seeds of humility, grace, and mercy, we’ll reap the same. It’s tempting to compare our brokenness to other’s brokenness to make ourselves feel better about ourselves. But, Paul reminds us to treat others with the grace and mercy

Notes:

Day 2

Week 6 | Freedom To Prevail

n the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy asks Charlie Brown “Why are we here on earth?” He replies, “To make others happy.” She thinks about his answer and replies, “Then why are others here?”

“One another”, is one of the key phrases that is given to followers of Christ; Love one another, serve one another, pray for one another, and edify one another are found multiple times throughout the New Testament. In these verses of Galatians, Paul adds, “Bear one another’s burdens”, to the list. As followers of Christ, we are not in competition with other believers. We all have the potential to struggle at times, and need to be humble and encourage those who need encouragement. When we see a fellow follower of Christ struggling, we are to help them for they are like a broken bone in the body that needs to be reset and restored. We are not to condemn those that are hurting, but we are to encourage and pray for them and help them heal. It is easy to sit in condemnation of someone, but it takes love and courage to approach them and seek to help them. Today, let’s pray that God would reveal to us any areas we find ourselves comparing what we do against what others do. As those places are revealed let’s ask that they are removed from us so we do not walk in competition or in comparison to others. Let’s pray that we would only compete with ourselves by committing ourselves to the word of God to grow in our understanding and let our desire be every day to become more like Christ.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 6 | Freedom To Prevail

Day 3

nother word that is given to the follower of Christ is fellowship. From the very beginning of the church, sharing was one of the marks of the Christian experience. Galatians 6:6, urges us to share with one another. Teachers of Bible share spiritual treasures and those who hear share material treasures. What we do with material things is how we view spiritual things. “For where your heart is your treasure will be also.” Matthew 6:21 NIV God doesn’t command believers to give simply to support their local church, pastor’s, teachers and missionaries so their basic needs are met but, that the giver might receive a greater blessing. Galatians 6:7-8 NIV The principle of sowing and reaping is found throughout the Bible. The farmer who sows wheat can expect to reap wheat. But, God tells us to be careful where we sow. Paul compares our lives to seed, and the two types of soil are the flesh and the Spirit. We can use our lives to promote the flesh or the things of the Spirit. However, where we sow, we can’t change the outcome. We can’t sow into the flesh and expect to have things of the Spirit at harvest. If every follower of Christ looked at their lives as seed and sowed it into the things of God, there would be no lack in spreading God’s love in the world.

“ Notes:

If every follower of Christ looked at their lives as seed and sowed it into the things of God, there would be no lack in spreading God’s love in the world.”

Day 4

Week 6 | Freedom To Prevail

s I read Galatians 6:1-10, it reminded me of a situation my husband experienced several years ago. My husband was working for an employer who was fun and charming but whose moral compass was skewed. After about a year, I began to notice changes in my husband that didn’t match his character and who he was. Subtly, unconsciously, he was emulating the ethics and broken morals of his boss. I could see the subtle changes but my husband could not. People often say He couldn’t see the forest for the trees. We have a hard time seeing the slow changes in our own lives and character. Positive and negative changes alike. By surrounding ourselves with accountability partners and honest friends we’re creating a support system to help us grow and make positive, godly changes in our lives. They can also help keep us accountable to break bad habits and point us back towards God who can heal the broken parts of our lives. Galatians 6:1-2 tells us to gently and humbly help direct others to God. We’re all broken and need others in our lives who point us back onto the path of following Jesus when we wander away. Think through the people in your life and small group. Who can you ask to hold you accountable? If someone asks you to hold them accountable to something, share their burden. Keep them accountable with humility, knowing we’re all broken and learning to follow Jesus one step at a time.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 6 | Freedom To Prevail

Day 5

n today’s terminology Paul, talks about accountability. Yet, accountability can be illusive. We want others to be accountable for their actions and behavior and can be quick to point out when we think someone has failed. And yet, we often expect others to overlook when we do not meet expectations or when our accountability is lacking. So, how can we grow on both sides of this accountability struggle? Based upon what Paul wrote, it seems like the accountability issues we face today are not that much different than those in Paul’s time. So, what is the best way to hold others accountable? Let’s look at what Paul wrote. In Galatians 6:1, it states that when we see someone doing something wrong, we should say something in a gentle way. That means the “in your face” approach that has become part of our society is not the right way. Here are some more gentle approaches for holding someone accountable: • Talk to God and ask Him for guidance. • Put ourselves in that person’s place. • Look for a time and place that will be conducive to the conversation.

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We are quick to point out when we think someone has not been accountable. And yet, we often expect others to overlook when we do not meet expectations or when our accountability is lacking.”

• Approach the conversation with love and openness. These conversations aren’t always easy, but in having them we show that we care for that person and hope that they’d help us through a situation in the same way. These can also be opportunities that God’s using to show us a place that we need to grow in our own lives. Use this time to reflect on the situation and see if what your friend is struggling with is something that you struggle with in your life too.

Notes:

Day 6

Week 6 | Freedom To Prevail

hen I was growing up my parents would say “you reap what you sow.” At the time, I thought that was an odd phrase. You reap what you sow? We aren’t farmers! Then, I realized that they were paraphrasing the Bible.

But, what does that phrase really mean? It means that we need to remember that our actions have consequences. It means that we need to think about how what we do impacts those around us. It means that we need to do good in the world. In fact, in Galatians 6:9, God tells us to never stop doing good and that at the proper time, we will reap the harvest. Vineyard Church’s Senior Pastor Fred Herron has talked about listening to that little voice in our heads and that it’s God talking to us and guiding us. So, over the years I have prayed to become more aware of that little voice and what He tells me. Let me give you an example. I was at the vet with my dog, Patches. I was waiting behind a college student whose dog had gotten into a barbed wire fence. Although I couldn’t hear the conversation, I could tell that he was struggling to pay the bill. After several moments, the cashier told him that she would work on the situation and give him a call. And, I heard that little voice in my head say “You reap what you sow. This is an opportunity to do good.” When the cashier began work on my transaction, I asked if the coupon for $100 I had would help the student. At first, she said they were working on financing. Then, she hesitated and said that it would help. So, I told her to take my coupon and use it towards Tarzan’s bill. I am sure there are many other times that I’ve missed the opportunity to share God’s love and unearned forgiveness with others. But, I try each day to look for them. I try to listen to God’s urging to do good with the promise that at the proper time I will reap the harvest of what I have done. Let’s pray for God’s voice to become louder in our lives and that we hear Him in moments when we can do good.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 6 | Freedom To Prevail

Day 7

n our Scripture reading this week, Paul has shared with us practical advice to apply in our everyday lives. These words sound familiar and seem so simple, yet are difficult to remember in the moments we need them.

Strong advice like; we’re all equal in God’s eyes, pay attention to our own work instead of comparing ourselves to others, and listening for God’s voice will always provide us blessings. These truths are so helpful when we are stressed or feeling insecure and start loosing focus on the big picture. That’s the time when we need these truths to be strong to fall back on. Luckily, there’s a way to reinforce these habits so that they come up in our minds when we need them. It’s something that God has built in from the beginning and wants for us more than anything; spend time with Him and let Him reassure us in our strength. He loves us and wants our relationship with him to be strong. There’s a song called “Full Attention” by Jeremy Riddle that begins with: May Your voice be louder May Your voice be clearer Than all the others Than all the others in my life These words reach to the core of a hope we all have; to know God and have a relationship with Him that allows us to hear His hopes and desires for our lives. We can get closer to this each day by spending time away from all of the worldly distractions and just being in His presence. This can mean different things to different people, but if we seek this out we will find Him. So whether it means getting out into nature, listening to worship music, finding quiet time to simply listen, or reading your Bible you’ll be sweeping aside the daily distractions and making space for God’s words to be louder than all the others in our lives.

Notes:

Weekend Notes:

FREE Week 7

MEMORY VERSE Galatians 6:15 It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.

DOM as a new creation Galatians 6:11-18

FREEDOM

Week 7 | Freedom As A New Creation Day 1

n Galatians 3:1-14, Paul teaches the Galatians (and us) that thinking we can earn salvation by following the Jewish laws to the “T” is foolishness. Our righteousness - our right standing with God - is a gift from God. He makes us a new creation when we commit our lives to following Jesus. Paul sums up his letter in Galatians 6:15: “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.” What exactly is this “new creation?” As we put our trust in Christ, The Holy Spirit makes His home in us. Jesus’ righteousness becomes our righteousness and we’re fully justified at the moment we say “yes” to God’s provision for our sins through Christ and “yes” to grace. Talking to the disciples, “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’” John 14:23 NIV The Holy One, takes up residence in our spirit. From that moment on, we’re a new creation, adopted into the Kingdom family. What a secure place to live! Before He left this world, Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” John 14:16-19 NIV The Holy Spirit “rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” Colossians 1:13 NIV From the inside out, we’re made new. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB However, our soul - mind, will and emotions - still needs to come into alignment with God through renewing our mind, and that’s the journey we find ourselves on. Throughout the New Testament, Paul addresses believers as “saints.” It’s a paradigm shift - a new way of thinking and living. God wants us to live out of the new identity that He has so graciously given us through Christ! We’re saints - bought by Christ’s blood, no longer slaves to sin, on a journey into freedom and wholeness!

Notes:

Day 2

Week 7 | Freedom As A New Creation

n our modern society, the historic importance of circumcision escapes us. New parents are offered this option in the hospital for their sons, and the decision is often made with a few minutes of discussion. In most cases, it’s not tied to spiritual issues as it was in Biblical times. So what’s the big deal? To the Jews, circumcision was essential and critical. The Jews were set apart for God, and circumcision was the outward sign of their covenant with God as laid out in the Old Testament. It was also a source of pride, which separated the Jews from Gentiles, even as believers in Christ. But Jesus ushered in a different circumcision - that of the heart. A heart that’s circumcised by faith has been cut off from the bondage of sin and bound to God and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Paul told the Roman believers, “For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.” Romans 2:28-29 After Christ lived and died for mankind, the only circumcision that matters focuses on the heart condition. The law is not enough, for “no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law.” Romans 3:20 Christ came to change us from the inside out - at the heart level. Paul calls this change “circumcision of the heart.” It’s a metaphor of how the Holy Spirit sets us apart for God. In Deuteronomy 30:6 NKJV, this very concept was laid out before Israel. “And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” As believers, we’re set apart ones. Saints! We’re in this world but not of it according to John 17:14. Ephesians 1:13 NASB tells us that “having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit,” which changes everything - from the inside out.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 7 | Freedom As A New Creation

Day 3

n Paul’s letter to Galatians he asks believers to celebrate their new faith, but also avoid being caught up in old habits of trying to achieve perfection based on rules. He explains that there is a new agreement fulfilling God’s all-inclusive love, so there is no sense in arguing about details that no longer apply. Paul warns about teaching others that certain rules must be followed in order to prove faithfulness, and bragging about adhering to those rules is worthless self-promoting behavior not of God. 2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV says, “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” Specifically, Paul is responding to the argument of whether new believers should be circumcised according too old covenant mandates. He says it’s not about what we do or don’t do, nor how we look or don’t look; it’s the inward condition of our heart that matters. In Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young, she writes as if Jesus were talking to the reader: I know you inside and out, so do not try to present a ‘cleaned-up’ self to Me. Wounds that you shut away from the light of My love will fester and become wormy. Whether we ignore or hide our wounded places or try to do “good” things to gain God’s approval, God sees our heart. Surrendering to Him, renewing our mind, forgiving those who have wounded us, forgiving ourselves (sometimes the most difficult), and addressing the lies we’ve believed allows our soul to line up with the new creation that we’ve become in our spirit through Jesus Christ. When we partner with God in this way, He does a mighty work in our mind, will and emotions to bring us into wholeness! The Message translation of the Bible, written in contemporary English translates Paul’s words this way, “Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It’s not what you and I do - submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life!”

Notes:

Day 4

Week 7 | Freedom As A New Creation

ike so many people, my upbringing was filled with emotional trauma. I struggled with self-worth, self-esteem, and depression. I dropped out of college my junior year due to depression and failing all of my classes. But when I turned 24, God really started drawing me towards Him. I remember the first time I went to Vineyard Church. I sat in the parking lot for a long time, filled with fear of what would happen if I walked into the church. I remember the enemy’s words: No one is going to talk to you, you aren’t worthy to go in there, don’t do this! I sat in my car with tears streaming down my face, but there was something pushing me to make the first move. Once I opened the church door, I ran inside and quickly found a seat. I don’t remember what the sermon was about. I do know that life was different after that service. In the foyer, I picked up a pamphlet about ALPHA, an introduction to faith class, one for a young adult small group. I attended both, and through them God started becoming real to me. I learned that He was a personal God who wanted a personal relationship with me. A month after I started attending church, I was driving about four hours away to visit my brother and listening to a worship CD given to newcomers. I felt the Holy Spirit’s presence so strongly that I pulled off the road and gave my life to Christ. From that day on, my life has been completely different. I began to grow in my understanding of the Bible and who I am in Christ. I also addressed my woundings and struggles and received emotional healing. Today, there’s nothing that remains of that scared girl. I’m a new creation! My life before Christ was marked by trying to remain invisible - I actively hid from the world. After Christ, I didn’t need to hide anymore. In fact, I enthusiastically pursued friendship and community. So much so, that I now lead a small group and participate in other ministry opportunities. Recently, I graduated from college, which was a huge milestone. I’m a different person from the one who quit college because I was failing. I’ve encountered the greatness of God, and there’s no part of me that’s remained untouched. I share my story so that God may be glorified!

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 7 | Freedom As A New Creation

Day 5

s we wrap up this study, ask yourself this question: As I go about my daily life, am I more sin conscious or grace conscious? Do I go about my day pinpointing brokenness in myself, or am I in awe and thankful that I’m a new creation by His grace? So how do we practically live out our identity as a new creation? Earlier in Galatians 5:16, Paul urges us to live by the Spirit so that we’re no longer operating as if we’re under the law. Galatians 5:18 To the Romans, Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” Romans 12:2 NASB As we believe God’s truth about who we are in Christ we become more aware of God’s grace and goodness and that He works within us.

Pastor and teacher John Piper offers some guidance for the graceconscious life . . . · Acknowledge that you can do nothing on your own. John 15:1-8 · Pray that “the God of peace . . . equip you with every good thing that you may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ.” Hebrews 13:21 (NASB) · Trust and exercise your faith that “sin will no longer have dominion over us.” Romans 6:14 · Learn the promises about who you are in Christ. Ephesians 1:18-19 · It’s only after you ask the Spirit to accomplish in you what you cannot that you step out to do Kingdom work. Action isn’t our first step for a reason. 1 Corinthians 15:10, Ephesians 2:10 · Thank God for the outcome because He is the One who works in you. Galatians 2:20

Notes:

Day 6

Week 7 | Freedom As A New Creation

ords are incredibly important to God. Paul says, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Galatians 6:14 NIV One definition of pride is a misplaced sense of worth. Pride is easily revealed through our words of boasting, criticism and judgment. These attitudes set many things into motion. God spoke the world into existence. His words are powerful. Romans 10:9-10 NIV says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” God asks us to open our mouth and acknowledge our faith, so He puts high value on our words! James 3 reminds us that our tongue is powerful, and our words have the ability to direct our lives. Every day, the Holy Spirit gives us the authority to choose life or death by what we think and say. “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21 NIV

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We can choose to speak words of blessing over others...”

We can choose to speak words of blessing over ourselves and others, or we can choose words of discouragement, complaining or worse that lead to death. We’ve all set things aflame with our tongues; we’ve also used our tongues to bless those around us. Sometimes it’s easier to speak truth over others, but not to ourselves. It’s not a battle we can win on our own, but one the Holy Spirit longs to fight for us. Paul’s prayer becomes mine too: “the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Ephesians 1:17 As I grasp who I am in Christ and find my identity in Him, it’s reflected in my thoughts and words. I can be confident that God’s word is His will for me. God longs to use me to bless others and bring life wherever I go and my speech reflects my identity as a new creation in Christ.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Week 7 | Freedom As A New Creation

Day 7

o you ever shop for fresh fruits and vegetables? It’s easy to see bruises on apples or tomatoes, decaying edges on lettuce, and yellowing tips on broccoli. Clear plastic containers holding strawberries can be turned over to see if the berries have been smashed. Sometimes I select the best looking and best smelling peaches with great hope. Yet, I’m taking the risk that they may be crunchy and tart. Or worse yet, when I cut them open they may reveal a rotten seed and be inedible. When it comes to peaches, cantaloupe or watermelon, you must cut one open to prove their taste. Some people like to smell, thump or squish fruit to test for ripeness. Some claim if you press or pinch in just the right place, it will reveal whether the fruit inside is sweet or tart. Farmers will tell you those tests reveal nothing and only damage the fruit. The issue is, we just don’t like the look of things. We believe the better something looks on the outside, the better it must be on the inside. When it comes to people, sometimes the most outwardly perfect-looking specimens have rotten cores; sometimes those with visible bruises and breaks have the deepest, sweetest and gentlest of spirits when As a new creation in Christ they turn their hearts to God.

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we’re free!” New faith is not about outside-in, but rather, inside - out behaviors and understandings. As we learn a new way of living - aligning our heart with the truth of God about our position as a son or daughter in the Kingdom and how to live - God’s Spirit within becomes evident by the love that pours out of us. Our outward appearance - how good we appear on the outside - is far less important to God as our hearts. As a new creation in Christ, we’re free! We start fresh with the knowledge that our sins are forgiven and grace is ours! Free to become all that God intended from the beginning.

What has God done in your life in the last 50 days?

Weekend Notes:

HOST 78

Guide FREEDOM

HELPS FOR HOSTS

Top Ten Ideas for New Hosts Congratulations! As the host of your small group, you have responded to the call to help shepherd Jesus’ flock. Few other tasks in the family of God surpass the contribution you will be making. As you prepare to facilitate your group, here are a few thoughts to keep in mind. Remember you are not alone. God knows everything about you, and He knew you would be asked to facilitate your group. Even though you may not feel ready, this is common for all good hosts. God promises, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5). Whether you are facilitating for one evening, several weeks, or a lifetime, you will be blessed as you serve. 1. Don’t try to do it alone. Others are there to help you. Pray right now for God to help you build a healthy team. If you can enlist a co-host to help you with the group, you will find your experience much richer. This is your chance to involve as many people as you can in building a healthy group. All you have to do is ask people to help. You’ll be surprised at the response. 2. Be friendly and be yourself. God wants to use your unique gifts and temperament. Be sure to greet people at the door with a big smile. This can set the mood for the whole gathering. Remember, they are taking as big a step to show up! Don’t try to do things exactly like another host; do them in a way that fits you. Admit when you don’t have an answer and apologize when you make a mistake. Your group will love you for it and you’ll sleep better at night. 3. Prepare for your meeting ahead of time. Review the sessions. Write down your responses to each question. Pay special attention to exercises that ask group members to do something other than engage in discussion. These exercises will help your group live what the Bible teaches, not just talk about it. Be sure you understand how an exercise works. 4. Pray for your group members by name. Before your group arrives, take a few moments and pray for each member by name. You may want to review the prayer requests from your group at least once a week. Ask God to use your time together to touch the heart of every person in your group. Expect God to lead you to whomever he wants you to encourage or challenge in a special way. If you listen, God will surely lead. 5. When you ask a question, be patient. Someone will eventually respond. Sometimes people need a moment or two of silence to think about the question. If silence doesn’t bother you, it won’t bother anyone else. After someone responds, affirm the response with a simple “thanks” or “great answer.” Then ask, “How about somebody else?” or “Would someone who hasn’t shared like to add anything?” Be sensitive to new people or reluctant 80

members who aren’t ready to say, pray, or do anything. If you give them a safe setting, they will blossom over time. If someone in your group is a “wallflower” who sits silently through every session, that’s okay. Don’t force them to talk. Later on in the group you might consider talking to them privately and encouraging them to participate. Let them know how important they are to you - that they are loved and appreciated, and that the group would value their input. Remember, still water often runs deep. 6. Provide transitions between questions. Ask if anyone would like to read the paragraph or Bible passage. Don’t call on anyone, but ask for a volunteer, and then be patient until someone begins. Be sure to thank the person who reads aloud. 7. Break into smaller groups occasionally. With a greater opportunity to talk in a small circle, people will connect more with the study, apply more quickly what they’re learning, and ultimately get more out of their small group experience. A small circle also encourages a quiet person to participate and tends to minimize the effects of a more vocal or dominant member. Small circles are also helpful during prayer time. People who are unaccustomed to praying aloud will feel more comfortable trying it with just two or three others. Also, prayer requests won’t take as much time, so circles will have more time to actually pray. It’s okay if prayer requests are shared in the smaller group that don’t get shared in the larger group. Often people will share more within the smaller group. The other great aspect of sub-grouping is that it fosters leadership development. As you ask people in the group to facilitate discussion or to lead a prayer circle, it gives them a small leadership step that can build their confidence. 8. Rotate facilitators occasionally. You may be perfectly capable of hosting each time, but you will help others grow in their faith and gifts if you give them opportunities to host the group. You also will prevent any one person from burning out if you share leadership with the group. 9. One final challenge. Before your first opportunity to lead, look up each of the passages listed below. Read each one as a devotional exercise to help prepare your heart. Matthew 9:36-38, John 10:14-15, 1 Peter 5:2-4, Philippians 2:1-5, Hebrews 10:23-25, 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8, 11-12

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FREQUENTLY ASKED Questions

HOW LONG WILL THIS GROUP MEET? This study is 7 sessions long. In addition to your main meetings, we encourage you to also get together for a social event--perhaps a celebration event at the conclusion of this study. In your last couple sessions, each group member may decide if he or she desires to continue on for another study. At that time you may also want to do some informal evaluation (e.g. how did the group go, what changes should we make, etc.), discuss your Small Group Guidelines, and decide which study you want to do next. We recommend you contact Roger Sodsod at rsodsod@vineyardkcnorth.com to get some more ideas for small group studies. WHO IS THE HOST? The host is the person who coordinates and facilitates your group meetings. In addition to a host, we encourage you to select a few others from the group to facilitate your group discussions. Several other responsibilities can be rotated, including snacks, prayer requests, worship, planning fun events/outreaches, or keeping up with those who missed a meeting. Shared ownership in the group helps everybody grow. Use the calendar on the following page to plan your responsibilities rotation. WHERE DO WE FIND NEW GROUP MEMBERS? Recruiting new members can be a challenge for groups, especially new groups with just a few people, or existing groups that lose a few people along the way. We encourage you to use the following acronym to brainstorm ideas for people to invite. F.R.A.N.K. (Who are my FRANKs?) Friends Relatives (family members) Associates (work, school) Neighbors Kids (other parents you know from your kids’ schools, sport teams, etc.) Follow this Simple Three-Step Process: 1. Have each person in the group list one to two people for each letter 2. Prayerfully select one person or couple from your list and tell your group about them. 3. Give them a call and invite them to your next meeting. Over fifty percent of those invited to a small group say, “Yes!” As you come up with lists, pray for the people on each member’s list. Allow each member to invite several people from their list. Some groups fear that newcomers will interrupt the intimacy that members have built over time. However,

groups that welcome newcomers generally gain strength with the infusion of new blood. Remember, the next person you add just might become a friend for eternity. If your group starts to become too large for easy, face-to-face conversations, you can subgroup, forming a second discussion group in another room. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s common too that group members may leave to start their own new group. This is actually a good thing! HOW DO WE HANDLE THE CHILDCARE NEEDS IN OUR GROUP? Childcare needs must be handled very carefully. We suggest you seek creative solutions as a group. One common solution is to have adults meet in the living room and share the cost of a babysitter who can be with the kids in another part of the house. Another popular option is to have one home for the kids (with a babysitter or two there) and a second home (close by) for the adults.

SMALL GROUP Calendar DATE

LESSON

LOCATION

FACILITATOR

SNACK OR MEAL

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

Session 5

Session 6

Session 7

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Session Week x1 | Freedom From Topic

Day x

FREEDOM FROM GUILT & SHAME

Memory Verse: Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Icebreakers: If this is your first-time meeting as a group or if you have new group members, be sure to go around the circle and introduce yourselves, beginning with the Host. Tell everyone at least three things about yourself. Also share with the group what you hope to get out of this series. Before you begin this study, we recommend you review the Small Group Guidelines on the next page as a group. Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. Think about a time when you have experienced shame. Perhaps you feel like you’re constantly disappointing people. Perhaps you feel self-conscious about your appearance or your job or your relationship status (or lack thereof). Maybe someone betrayed you, or your parents were abusive or just absent, or someone in your family has an addiction, and you think it’s somehow your fault. Maybe you’re stressed about your children or your work. Maybe you feel like a failure because life got hard, and now your dreams seem out of reach, or you just don’t know who you are anymore. Perhaps you go through life feeling inadequate. You worry what other people would think if they knew the real you. Shame lurks in all of these things. In spite of all this shame in our lives, there is good news. The promise of Scripture is that when we look to God, He transforms our shame into something beautiful. When our identity is rooted in Christ - not only knowing who we are in Christ, but knowing who He is in us - we can get rid of the dark covering of shame and embrace our new identity. In other words, we may have shame, but in Jesus, shame no longer has us. What kinds of things in your life - small or large - have triggered shame in you in the past? 2. Are there any ways in which you hide so people won’t know the real you? 3. Do you equate what you do with who you are and your sense of self-worth? 4. God does not want our past pain to become our present identity. How are you allowing past and current circumstances to define who you are instead of God’s Word? 5. What can we learn from the teachings this week on how to deal with shame and guilt? 6. When we face shame in the future, how can we reassure ourselves of God’s love and our identity in Christ?

Prayer: One of the ways we can show our love for one another is by committing to pray for each both in group and daily. Take time as a group to share prayer requests. Record everyone’s prayer requests on the Small Group Prayer and Praise Report. After doing that, pray over the requests as a group. Resource: If you haven’t yet taken the Spiritual Growth Assessment at sodsod.com/resources, now is a great time to take it. This tool helps you measure where you are in your spiritual life and gives you directions on how to grow.

Small Group Guidelines

WE AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING VALUES: CLEAR PURPOSE: To grow healthy spiritual lives by building a healthy small group community GROUP ATTENDANCE: To give priority to the group meeting (email or call if I am absent or late) SAFE ENVIRONMENT: To create a safe place where people can be heard and feel loved (no quick answers, snap judgments, or simple fixes) BE CONFIDENTIAL: To keep anything that is shared strictly confidential within the group CONFLICT RESOLUTION: To avoid gossip and to immediately resolve any concerns by following the principles of Matthew 18:15-17 SPIRITUAL HEALTH: To give group members permission to speak into my life and help me live a healthy, balanced spiritual life that is pleasing to God WELCOME NEWCOMERS: To invite friends who might benefit from this study and warmly welcome newcomers BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: To get to know the other members of the group and pray for them regularly We have also discussed and agree on the following items: STARTING TIME: ENDING TIME:

FREEDOM

Session Week x2 | Freedom From Topic

FREEDOM FROM FAILURE

Day x

Memory Verse: Galatians 3:13-14 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the host.) 1. What kinds of things do you like to do for fun (hobbies, sports, collecting, etc.)? 2. What was your first job? What do you remember most about it? 3. As a time-traveler, I would most like to visit ________ because ________. Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. What are some of the significant failures you have experienced in your life? Describe the lessons you learned through your experience and processing of these failures. 2. How did these failures prepare you to be a better follower of Jesus? 3. What successes have you experienced because of the lessons you learned during your times of failure? 4. How does forgiveness (both forgiving others and ourselves) help us have freedom from failure? 5. As followers of Jesus, we may fail but God forgives, and He can use that failure for His glory. Talk about a time when you’ve seen God take someone’s failure and use it for His glory. 6. How can God use your failure to bring glory to Him and blessings to others who may be struggling with what you went through?

Prayer: Share prayer requests again and spend time praying over them as a group. Remember to record everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prayer requests on the Small Group Prayer and Praise Report. Be sure to have someone email out the prayer requests to the group (including any who missed the meeting) so you can be praying for each other every day.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Session Week x3 | Freedom From Topic

Day x

FREEDOM OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE Memory Verse: Galatians 3:28-29 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. Icebreaker: Tell the group three things about yourself, two of which are true, and one which is not. Have the group vote on which one is not true. Then tell the group which one it was. Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. The Christians in Galatia were being told to keep the Law in order to gain life, righteousness, and favor from God. Describe how we can struggle to seek God’s favor through our actions. How does our thinking need to be transformed to align with the truth of the Gospel? 2. In your view, what is the biggest difference between Law and faith? 3. Read Romans 8:1, 8:31 and Galatians 4:6-7. What important truths do we learn here? How do these truths impact how you see yourself? How you live your life? 4. Tell us about a time when you suffered under your own condemnation and selfpity - or perhaps a time when you condemned someone else. What have you learned that will prevent you from doing this again? 5. Talk about the subtle difference between resisting sin through God’s strength and striving to overcome sin on your own strength. What does that look like? 6. How can we continue to walk in freedom - to walk in God’s love through the power of the Holy Spirit?

Prayer: You may want to break into groups of two or three this week for prayer. Share prayer requests with each other, and pray for each other. Also pray that the spirit of condemnation would lift off each other and ultimately we would be set free to walk in Gods love through the power of His Spirit.

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Session Week x4 | Freedom From Topic

FREEDOM FROM DEAD RITUAL

Day x

Memory Verse: Galatians 5:16-17 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the host.) 1. What were some of the rules in your family when you were a child? 2. What activities were you involved in as a teenager (sports, music, job, etc.)? 3. What are some rituals you and your family have (e.g. cleaning the house, family game night, etc.)? Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. The life of the follower of Jesus is not a matter of outward conformity to religious rituals, but rather a life of worship and obedience that results from God changing one’s heart. Jesus cares just as much, if not more, about the reality of the inward than the outward. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that one has committed murder if they’re angry with someone. They’ve committed adultery if they’ve lusted after someone. God looks at the heart. We can impress people with polished prayers, lots of volunteering, tithing, and all sorts of religious activities, but God cares more about our heart. Talk about someone you may have known (no names though) who was diligent in practicing their religious rituals but lacked relationship with Jesus, and compare that person with someone you know who has a deep relationship and love for Jesus. What comparisons can you make? 2. Read Galatians 5:1. What are some areas in your life in which you used to be in bondage, but now are free? Share how Christ has helped you break free from sin, habits, and attitudes. 3. Read Galatians 5:2-6. In the 21st century, we don’t struggle much with people trying to convince us to be circumcised in order to be saved. But we do struggle with legalism in other ways. What are some of the other ways that conditions are added to people accepting God’s salvation? How have you experienced legalism in the past? How does that compare with the freedom of walking in the Spirit? 4. Read Galatians 5:13-15. Read it as if the Holy Spirit might want to speak a fresh word of encouragement directly to your group. What word or phrase sticks out to you or feels like God is speaking to you? What changes do you feel led to make based on this study? 90

Prayer: You can stay together as a group or subdivide into smaller groups of two to three. Share prayer requests with each other, and pray for each other.

Notes:

FREEDOM

Session Week x5 | Freedom From Topic

FREEDOM TO FLOURISH

Day x

Memory Verse: Galatians 5:22-23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the host.) 1. What were your favorite music groups when you were a teenager? What are they now? 2. What would be your ideal dream vacation? 3. What’s the farthest you’ve ever traveled? What did you do there? Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. Read Galatians 5:22-23. This is one of the most beloved passages in the Bible. The “fruit of the Spirit” has also been misinterpreted as qualities that believers should somehow work toward achieving in their lives. But the key to understanding these qualities is in the name. “Fruit” is the natural result of growth. And “of the Spirit” explains exactly Who causes that growth - it’s not our striving or straining, but the power of the Holy Spirit. No amount of determination can produce spiritual fruit - only the Spirit’s influence in a yielded heart can do it. The fruit of “love” may be the best example. We cannot produce the type of love God desires without the leading of the Holy Spirit. The love which the Holy Spirit manifests in believers is the Greek word, “agape”. This love is not a feeling, but a choice. It’s the choice to be sacrificial, to consider another’s needs more than our own. (See Philippians 2:3, John 15:13, Luke 6:35, 1 John 3:11, and John 3:16) Love is the greatest gift God can give. First Corinthians 13 says that agape is patient. Agape is kind. Agape never fails. God desires to show His perfect, selfless love to a world that is regularly confused about what true love is. God’s children are the conduits of His love, as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Who have you known personally who has demonstrated the most sacrificial love? Describe them. What can we learn from such a person? 2. Read Galatians 5:24-26. Where are you at in your journey to nail your sinful nature to the cross and follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of your life?

3. Take a moment and imagine what you would look like 5, 10, or 20 years from now as you bear more of the fruit of the Spirit - particularly agape love. Describe what you see in your mindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye - the person you will become as you more fully surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit. 4. What are some steps you can take to become this person - this future self - fully embracing your freedom to flourish and walking in the Spirit? 5. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. List and explain several ways you can express agape love in your most important relationships now (marriage, children, friends, work, extended family, etc.). Prayer: Take prayer requests and pray for each other. Pray for each person to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray that each group member would have the freedom to flourish and follow the Spiritâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading.

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FREEDOM

Session Week x6 | Freedom From Topic

FREEDOM TO PREVAIL

Day x

Memory Verse: Galatians 6:2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the host.) 1. What’s the most frightening thing you’ve ever done or experienced? 2. Tell us about an accomplishment in your life - two or three if you want. 3. What is something you’re looking forward to in the next 5, 10, or 15 years of your life. Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. If we are willing to submit to the authority of Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit, He can change our lives. This only happens if we let Him have first place in our hearts. This is brought home in John 3:30 when John the Baptist said, “He must become greater, I must become less.” What areas of your life is Jesus truly Lord over right now? What areas of your life would you say, “He must become greater, I must become less?” 2. Every day we have to decide whether we are going to live according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. It is truly a battle of good and evil that takes place in the world around us and in the landscape of our hearts and minds. What counsel would you give a new believer on how to win this battle? What doesn’t work? 3. Winning this battle is not possible through sheer effort alone. There is a power outside ourselves we can regularly go to. Tell us about your history of depending on God when you’ve felt tempted or under attack by the enemy. 4. Winning this battle is not possible without the aid of other brothers and sisters in Christ. Fred talked about how the shield of faith in Ephesians 6 is modeled off of the shield of a Roman soldier which was designed to be interlocked with other shields to form a large impenetrable barrier. (If you want to see what it looked like, go to images.google.com and type “roman shield tortoise”.) Why do we need other followers of Jesus to help us in the battle? How can they help? Specifically, how can we help each other in this group?

5. Think about an average day in your life, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed at night. Now imagine living that same day centered in Jesus in everything you do. What would that look like? What changes would need to be made? Is there anything that is stealing your freedom? 6. Finally, read Matthew 28:18-20. If this is not just a mandate to Jesus’ apostles but to ALL His disciples, what would God have you do to fulfill the Great Commission? Prayer: Take prayer requests and pray for each other. Pray for protection and for the Spirit’s leading in each person’s life. Pray for them to live a life centered in Jesus. Pray for them to lead others to Christ and disciple them.

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FREEDOM

Session Week x7 | Freedom From Topic

FREEDOM AS A NEW CREATION

Day x

Memory Verse: Galatians 6:15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. Icebreakers: (Pick one and go around the circle having everyone answer, beginning with the host.) 1. What is something you’ve created or built that you were proud of? 2. Who have been the most influential people in your life so far? How did they help you? 3. What is one of the worst injuries you’ve had so far in your life? How did you injure yourself? Watch the VIDEO now. Discussion Questions: 1. In what ways have you seen God not give up but continue to work to redeem, to reclaim, to love, and to rescue people? 2. We can often think of worship as simply singing songs to God. How can one live a lifestyle of worship where they extend the love of God throughout creation, bringing freedom, liberation, new life, God’s justice, creativity, etc. one person at a time? 3. What matters most is transformation in the heart of an individual to become a new creation through faith in Jesus Christ. As we gather together with others who are transformed, we build a new environment of new creation. And one at a time, person by person, that new creation spreads. God’s Kingdom advances as we bring Jesus’ love and the truth of the Gospel into the dark places in this world. Give examples of how you have seen this done. Also, what are some creative or unusual examples of people extending God’s Kingdom in this world? 4. God calls us to endure suffering for the sake of the Gospel in a fallen and broken world so that new humanity can emerge through the suffering of Jesus that ultimately triumphs over hopelessness, darkness, and the power of the evil one. Why do Christ-followers today often tend to believe that being in God’s will necessarily means being safe or without strife or pain in life? 5. If we suffer along the way, we suffer for the ultimate purpose that will endure forever - the work of the Kingdom of God. How can our suffering testify to the sufficiency of God in our lives? How can God use your suffering redemptively?

6. How is God calling you to extend His love into the dark places in this world? 7. As Fred mentioned, take time to discuss as a group whether you will continue on with another study for the spring semester. Here are some recommendations: • The Purpose Driven Life – Rick Warren (Book, DVD Series, 6 weeks) • What’s So Amazing About Grace? – Phillip Yancey (Book, DVD, Study Guide, 10 weeks) • Community: Starting Well in Your Small Group – Andy Stanley (DVD Series, 8 weeks) • 40 Days of Community – Rick Warren (DVD Series, 6 weeks) • The Jesus I Never Knew – Philip Yancey (Book, DVD, Study Guide, 6 sessions) • Prayer – Phillip Yancy (Book, DVD, Study Guide, 6 sessions) More studies can be found here: vineyardkcnorth.com/approved-small-group-studies

Prayer: This week be sure to pray blessings and protection over each other and over your families. Pray that God would help each of you to extend His Kingdom here on the earth. Pray the Lord’s Prayer (especially “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”) The Lord’s Prayer Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

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