Blog: Consistently Submitting Practices

Consistently submitting to God’s desires is such an interesting part of the central ideas that shape who we are as a church family. In our pursuit to become all God desires for us to become we are discovering that God is doing a deep work within us. This has become our prayer for each other:

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. NLT

Don’t just try to be a loving expression of Christ to your world. Train to be a loving expression of Christ to your world. We are learning how to convert principles into practices as we look to the lifestyle of Jesus as the goal for our lives. 

The two practices that are connected to this idea of consistently submitting to God’s desires involve solitude and community. Solitude is where we simply purpose to be alone with God and free from all other sources of input.

If I’m in the constant presence of people, I am overstimulated and underdeveloped. Solitude awakens the non-anxious disposition to love others well. 

Community involves a deeper connection with God as you connect with others focusing on spiritual growth. This releases something powerful within you that you cannot discover alone.

This idea of pairing the practices of solitude and community is a little like breathing in and breathing out. Jesus modeled a healthy balance for us to put into practice ourselves. Don’t just always be giving out to others. You not only have permission to take care of yourself it is essential! Any flight you ever take will remind you that you must put your oxygen mask on first before helping others or you’ll slip into unconsciousness yourself.

The practices of look different in every stage and season of your life but do whatever it takes to discover a healthy rhythm of these breath-like life-sustaining behaviors no matter what season of life you’re in!

There is a strong relationship in the life of Jesus between his devotion to solitude and his connection to power

Luke 4:1 Now Jesus, full of [and in perfect communication with] the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. AMP

Jesus modeled purposeful solitude that produced powerful community.

Luke 5:15 But the news about Him was spreading farther, and large crowds kept gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their illnesses. AMP

Everyone everywhere was screaming for his attention. What did Jesus do?

Luke 5:16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion]. AMP

In our day, it is completely possible to banish solitude altogether. Even when we are alone, we don’t have to be alone and this robs us of this beautiful practice of solitude.

The Father won’t compete with your busy, noisy life. He’s patiently waiting in the quiet for your attention.

Luke 4:1 Now Jesus, full of [and in perfect communication with] the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. AMP

Mark 1:28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere throughout the district surrounding Galilee. AMP

Mark 1:35-37 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon [Peter] and his companions searched [everywhere, looking anxiously] for Him, 37 and they found Him and said, “Everybody is looking for You!” AMP

The more we interact with strangers, the more we present ourselves, rather than being authentically known and at rest with who we are. This is why true community is so vital in your life.

You can be with people, but not actually in community if you never move beyond surface relationships where you know and are known. 

The practices we see modeled in the life of Jesus are the practices we should embrace in our own lives today. In doing so we find ourselves on a similar journey of training to become more like Him. This is our mandate in Scripture and the results are clearly revealed.

1 John 2:6 Anyone who claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. NIV

2 Corinthians 13:14 …may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. NIV

We were designed by God to be in deep fellowship with God and in deep fellowship with God’s family. It is so interesting that the number one thing people love to hear in every nation of the world is, “I love you.” We were designed by God to first and foremost know his love. The second more common phrase people love to hear is, “You’re forgiven.” We are designed by God to live our lives with a clear conscience. 

What really fascinated me about this study I read about the most common phrases people love to hear is the third phrase, “Let’s eat!” For God so loved the world (I love you) that he sent his only Son Jesus to forgive us (you’re forgiven). Then in Revelation 3:20 we read, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” NIV

I love you. You’re forgiven. Let’s eat! What a beautiful expression of God’s loving ways in our lives.

GP2RL: Explore purposeful solitude this week and engage in authentic community.

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Consistently Submitting Practices

DISCUSSION GUIDE

UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Every year we devote the first 40 days to focusing on foundational truths that speak to our identity, as a church family. We are OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same. 

2 Peter 1:12-15 endorses the idea of rehearsing foundational things with the intention of leaving them firmly planted in the heart of the next generation.

As we journey through 2024 year together our desire is to become more spiritually AWAKE and more fully ENGAGED in the practices we see modeled in the life of Christ. As we are awakened to the principles of God’s Kingdom, we must choose to become more engaged in the practices. Our practices reveal our priorities. 

It is God’s plan for us to develop the rhythm of drawing close to His heart and hearing His voice together as a spiritual family. This explains the first question we start with in our groups:

DISCUSSION QUESTION: 

1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God? 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: to help develop a context for a greater understanding of the verses for today. 

2. What does solitude mean to you, and can you share a positive experience from practicing solitude in your life? 

3. What does community mean to you, and what has been a positive experience from be ing involved in meaningful community?

Mark 1:28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere throughout the district surrounding Galilee. AMP

Mark 1:35-37 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon [Peter] and his companions searched [everywhere, looking anxiously] for Him, 37 and they found Him and said, “Everybody is looking for You!” AMP

Luke 5:15-16 But the news about Him was spreading farther, and large crowds kept gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their illnesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion]. AMP 

4. What stands out to you about these verses and what are your observations about the way Jesus modeled solitude and community. 

5. How specifically will you purpose to practice solitude and community this week? 

Everywhere we go, we bring...

GP2RL: Explore the idea of true solitude this week and engage in authentic community.

Blog: Passionately Pursuing Practices

In this season we continue to sense very strongly that God is working in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. This verse has become our prayer!

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. NLT

Saying something is one thing but doing it is another. For years we have focused on the idea of being outrageously loving people as a church community.

We are OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same.

As we journey into the 2024 year together our desire is to become more spiritually AWAKE and more fully ENGAGED in the practices we see modeled in the life of Christ. As we are awakened to the principles of God’s Kingdom, we must choose to become more engaged in the practices. 

This is the basis of not just trying to be outrageously loving people but training to become more outrageously loving people We aren’t merely trying to passionately pursue the Lord we are training to passionately pursue his heart more effectively!

We are asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand the core practices that align with our core values. In doing so we have concluded that two deeper practices of passionately pursuing the Lord involves exploring a greater understanding of FASTING and a greater understanding of SCRIPTURE.

Matthew 16:24-26 Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? ESV

As you are crucifying the flesh strengthening the spirit to be awakened.

John 12:24–25 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. (NASB)

Unless the seed dies there can be no life. Not a question of if there is life in seed. The question is will it die? If it dies life comes forth. In this fallen world, we all contend with the chronically, dissatisfied desire.  Thomas Aquinas was asked, “what would it take to satisfy human desire” and his answer was, “Everything.”  

Chasing everything is futility so we must learn to embrace healthy restraint as the key that unlocks a fulfilling life. When we die, then we live. Loving this life will cost you your life but surrendering this life will give you eternal life.

Solitude is how we go to war not only with the busy world around us, but also with the busy soul that exists within us.

If a sermon on practicing peace could remove your anxiety, then that would have happened a long time ago. Be anxious for nothing! There! Don’t you feel better since you heard that? Actually, hearing that I’m not supposed to be stressed out really stresses me out! Your message only made me see I’m getting this wrong.

THAT’S THE POINT OF REPENTANCE! Come forward for prayer. Sit with the truths God has revealed allowing them ot have a deeper more meaningful work in the attitude of your mind.

“Without solitude it is virtually impossible to live a spiritual life. ... We do not take the spiritual life seriously if we do not set aside some time to be with God and listen to him.” Henri Nouwen

Peace doesn’t come from the absence of problems. Peace comes from the presence of God. We can learn to practice peace as we learn to practice his presence. This is why we believe it is so important to understand how everywhere we go we bring God’s presence to real life.

In the pursuit of more we are looking forward to hosting a statewide worship night at Destiny Sunday, February 4th. The next month we will come together for March 1-2 Fuel the Fire with Steve Uppal from England.

GP2RL: This week’s practices involve a deeper interaction with God in his Word and in fasting and prayer. What will this look like for you this week?

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Passionately Pursuing Practices

DISCUSSION GUIDE

UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Every year we devote the first 40 days to focusing on foundational truths that speak to our identity, as a church family. We are OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same. 

2 Peter 1:12-15 endorses the idea of rehearsing foundational things with the intention of leaving them firmly planted in the heart of the next generation.

As we journey through 2024 year together our desire is to become more spiritually AWAKE and more fully ENGAGED in the practices we see modeled in the life of Christ. As we are awakened to the principles of God’s Kingdom, we must choose to become more engaged in the practices. Our practices reveal our priorities. 

It is God’s plan is for us to develop the rhythm of drawing close to His heart and hearing His voice together as a spiritual family. This explains the first question we start with in our groups:

DISCUSSION QUESTION: 

1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God? 

Ask each person in your group to answer the discussion questions below after reading the verses.

Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? ESV

John 12:24–25 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. (NASB)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

2. DISCOVER: Have each person give a simple 60 second summary of what these verses are saying, Encourage people to try not to add insights or application yet. Just simply summarize. 

3. DEVELOP: What do you sense God may be speaking to you personally as we focus on these verses? 

4. DEPLOY: We are to be doers and not hearers only. What will you do this week in re sponse to what you sense God is revealing in this time together? 

Everywhere we go, we bring...

GP2RL: This week’s practices involve a deeper interaction with God in his Word and in fasting and prayer. What will this look like for you this week?

Blog: Outrageously Loving Practices

Saying something is one thing but doing it is another. For years we have focused on the idea of being outrageously loving people as a church community.

We are OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same.

As we journey into the 2024 year together our desire is to become more spiritually AWAKE and more fully ENGAGED in the practices we see modeled in the life of Christ. As we are awakened to the principles of God’s Kingdom, we must choose to become more engaged in the practices. 

Please purpose to pray Philippians 2:13 over your heart, your home and over all of us to be more responsive to the work God is doing in our hearts as he is giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. NLT

Legacy isn’t born from what we believe alone. There must be a consistent rhythm of behavior to model for the next generation the things we say are important. The church has grown weary with sitting still and listening to principles. Jesus commissions us “to obey” or to put the principles we believe into action!

Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” NIV

One of the practices we must devote ourselves to growing in is the practice of Sabbath. There is not one way to do this but each person in each season of life with each set of circumstances must discover how to honor God and God’s Word by embracing God’s command to rest. This is extremely counter cultural and the common reaction to the conversation is to resist the idea all together. After all we are just to busy to do that. But in essence this is saying you’re too busy to obey God.

You can’t go deep if you don’t slow down. 

There is such an interesting verse found in Job in reference to the “busyness” of life. 

Job 9:25 My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy. NIV 

This Hebrew word that translates “without a glimpse of joy” also translates in other Bible translations as “without a glimpse of happiness” or “seeing no good”. You can dive deeper in the Word of God by exploring the original languages and learning what the literal meaning of words used in the translation. This isn’t as complicated and difficult as you might think. A great resource I use online is biblehub.com and I suggest you slow your pace of life enough to dig deeper in the Bible.

Anthropologists are now studying how hurried lifestyles are having an impact on the human race.

1. Hurry decreases joy.

1. The faster you move the less you enjoy your surroundings. The experience of driving by a park isn’t the same as walking through the park.

2. Hurry lessens productivity.

3. Hurry increases stress.

4. Hurry keeps me from hearing God.

1. “Lord I have five minutes here I need you to tell me the plan for my life. If you don’t have quiet space devoted to your relationship with the Lord you are simply not a person who will learn to hear God.”

An experiment took place at Princeton Theological Seminary. Students were informed that they would be recorded when speaking on an assigned topic in another building. On the pathway they would walk the students encountered a "victim" slumped in a doorway. Half of the students were assigned to talk on the Good Samaritan Parable. Some were told they were late and should hurry; some were told they had just enough time to get to the recording room; and some were told they would arrive early. 

The variable that made a difference was how much of a hurry they were in. 63% of those who were in no hurry stopped to help, 45% of those in a moderate hurry stopped, and 10% of those that were in a great hurry stopped. 

It made no difference whether the students were assigned to talk on the Good Samaritan Parable. The way we structure our schedules has a profound impact on how we translate beliefs into behavior.

Hurry is an enemy to love.

This is why we must start with the PRACTICE OF SABBATH to grow and become more OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING PEOPLE. Once we learn to slow down the practice of anonymous service will come easier as there will be more room for compassion.

Sabbath isn’t a legalistic requirement but it is part of the 10 Commandments just like we shouldn’t lie we shouldn’t keep an unhealthy pace of life. It’s simply a law that has been built into all creation. You can resist the Law of Gravity but it won’t serve you well.

Sabbath is a way to live more deeply in God. You don’t have to buy it or order it online. All you have to do is stop and enjoy a rhythm of rest.

1. Lighting candles

2. Blessing children

3. Eating a Sabbath meal

4. Gratitude

5. Singing

6. Worshipping with your community

7. Walking

8. Napping

9. Making love to your spouse

10. Reading scripture

11. Spending time alone with God

12. Spending time with family and friends.

This is not a to do list but a description of patterns that are commonly included in Sabbath. Making room for Sabbath will help us slow down and be more mindful of God and others. This leads us to the second practice of OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING PEOPLE, ANONYMOUS SERVICE. This is about sacrificing or even suffering with or for someone in your five-foot circle by selflessly serving them as unto the Lord.

The more God reiterates a word or idea in Scripture the more we should pay attention: 

• Pray = 371 times (more than one a day)

• Love = 714

• Give = 2,152

The Bible mentions “Give” three times for every one mention of “Love”, emphasizing the importance of an actionable practice. For God so loved that He gave! (How’s your giving?) Let’s purpose to live generous lives like never before in 2024. Tithing breaks that spirit of materialism in our lives and that unlocks something of a greater degree of generosity in the way we love others well. Let’s tip generously out of a heart of loving others. Studies show how those who give generously are happier, healthier, and experience more fruitful lives.

How are you going to slow down and serve others?

May the God of rest fill you with his peace as you slow down to pursue his heart and discover the joy of serving others!

Everywhere we go....

We Bring GP2RL: Do something to begin exploring the idea of Sabbath. Serve someone sacrificially and anonymously this week.

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Outrageously Loving Practices

DISCUSSION GUIDE

Every year we devote the first 40 days to focusing on foundational truths that speak to our identity, as a church family. We are OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same. 

Peter endorses the idea of rehearsing foundational things with the intention of leaving them firmly planted in the heart of the next generation.

2 Peter 1:12-15 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in (them), I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live…and I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. NIV

Great encouragement comes from rehearsing God’s Word. It is God’s plan is for us to spend time drawing close to his heart and hearing his voice together as a family. This is why we start each meeting with this question first: 

DISCUSSION QUESTION: 

1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?

Ask each person in your group to answer the discussion questions below after reading the verses. Realize there is great power in just reading the Bible together and allowing the Holy Spirit to awaken his conversational nature in the group.

1 Corinthians 13:3 If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all. AMP 

• Good News Translation says, “If I have no love, it does me no good.” 

• The Message says, “I’m bankrupt without love.”

1 Corinthians 13:3-8 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. ESV

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

2. Have each person give a 60 second summary of what these verses are saying, in their own words. 

3. What do these verses teach us about God? 

4. What do these verses teach us about people? 

5. What should you do this week in response to what we are reading and what God is revealing? 

6. Who comes to mind when considering a person you might share this with this week?

Everywhere we go....

We Bring GP2RL Action Point: 

Slow down and make room to love God and to love others this week.

Blog: Light In Darkness

Everything about the birth of Jesus was this incredible prophetic picture of The One who is Light being born into darkness to rescue us from our separation from God. In the midst of the frustration and pain we discover the beauty of God’s plans.

Jesus was born in a barn where animals are born as God declared the Lamb of God has come to the earth as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Jesus, the bread of life, came down from heaven and on the day of his birth his mother placed him in a feeding trough where animals had been fed grain!

John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” NIV

Jesus came bringing spiritual food to give life to those in darkness.

John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ESV

The life Jesus shares with those who follow him gives them light.

John 8:12 “…I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ESV

Seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Isaiah spoke of this:

Isaiah 9:1-2 Darkness and despair will not go on forever… 2 The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light; For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. NLT

That light is the child Isaiah tells us about in that same chapter:

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given… NKJV

Jesus has come. Lighting Advent candles for four weeks has become a practice for us as a church as an effort to bring our focus to the deeper reality of Christ during this season.

The candles represent Jesus coming as the light in darkness. We light one candle each week for four weeks until all four candles are lit. As Christmas draws nearer, each candle brings a little more light into the darkness. Our hope is that those living in darkness will be awakened to his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9)

When we receive Christ his divine light streams into our hearts and suddenly, we are awakened to have a living spirit. This light gives sight to the blind soul giving us eternal life providing eternal sight. We become equipped to live in light of eternity.

Jesus is the Light of the world and Christmas is about light that brings hope, peace, joy and love into our fallen, broken world!

The Museum of Childhood is in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is filled with childhood treasures, many more than 500 years old. There are fascinating dolls, teddy bears and puppets that largely belonged to very affluent families that have been preserved and are now displayed in glass case after glass case awakening the imagination of each item’s unique story.

In one corner of this museum there is an individual case with only one doll. The sign says, “Doll belonging to London slum child from 1905.”

An old shoe turned into a dreary doll that can bring tears to your eyes because it is so very pitiful – while somehow being so very beautiful - because some child living in horrendous conditions loved it so much.

A worthless doll loved into beauty. We are that doll. Look at us. Who are we that God should love us so much? There is nothing to validate us in our broken, darkened state. Nothing but the light of God’s love - taking us from the darkness of hopelessness into the presence of God’s love. Jesus is here bringing his light to our hearts, our homes, our lives and our world.

Everywhere we go....

We Bring GP2RL: Create a meaningful memory by lighting a candle tonight in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Limping Disciples

GENESIS 32:22-32 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,[b] for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,[c] saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh.

Limping does not invalidate your progress as disciples.

A. Your struggles are seen by God.

B. God values our progress.

2. You might be limping, but at least you are moving.

A. Limp towards God.

B. David models how to limp towards God. (Psalm 51:1-12)

1. He does NOT seek moral equivocation.

2. He seeks God’s cleansing power. 

3. He doesn’t just want forgiveness, but intimacy.

3. God invites us to wrestle with Him over the dark places of our soul.

A. You will not win. 

B. The blessing is you will see and be touched by God.

C. We often don’t see God because we refuse to wrestle with Him.  

Everywhere we go….

We Bring GP2RL Action Point:

Don’t be embarrassed about your limp! Ask God if you are avoiding wrestling with Him over anything? 

Blog: NEHEMIAH- Casual Casualties

"Casual" means relaxed and unconcerned. We’re familiar with “casual Fridays”. Casual has its place but it also can be a dangerous disposition for an electrician or if we become casual about a relationship that relationship begins to suffer. "Casualty" has “casual” in it and it speaks of the loss of life. Jesus came so we might have and enjoy life in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10b (AMP)

We cannot afford to be casual about the fight of faith. It is a fight and if you grow casual in any fight you suffer loss.

The Bible tells us openly about the pains, perils and problems of fallen humanity, and this is on full display in Nehemiah 13 as God’s people had become casual and God’s work became the casualty. In this final chapter of Nehemiah, we see the deterioration of all God had established. The wall had been rebuilt. The work of God had been restored. The reading and teaching of Scripture and worship had been restored. Revival had taken place.

Nehemiah had spent 12 years of his life, devoting himself sacrificially to restoring the work of God. He had moved back to Suza perhaps for two years; we don’t know how long. He was probably called back because of political duties with the King but now he returns to find the people had turned away from God.

Nehemiah 13:6-9 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time, I asked leave of the king 7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense. ESV

Nehemiah 13:10-12 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. 11 So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. ESV

Nehemiah 13:15-26 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food… 17 Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? ESV

Nehemiah 13:23-26 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. 25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. ESV

Nehemiah’s behavior is not something we try to justify, but his anger is very justifiable   

Nehemiah 13:30-31 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. ESV

These people stopped giving to God, and started spending on themselves, turning away from sacrificial worship, and turning into self-indulgent spending. Nehemiah was upset and in response he goes back to work restoring sacrificial worship once again.

Sacrificial worship is a purposeful point of resistance to the flesh. You literally have to make decisions against yourself to worship sacrificially. This is why Jesus said we must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him. This is the essence of worshiping God. Making God first requires me to be “not first”!

A self-serving perspective always results in the same empty conclusion: relationally, financially, etc. When you refuse to slay the moment of instant gratification, you choose to lose a battle against a diminished future. Make decisions against yourself: budgeting, dieting..

Being consumed with worldly pleasure robs us of the true treasure of God’s Kingdom!

These people went from worshiping God to focusing on all the things they desire. They couldn’t give any time or money to the work of God because they were giving their time and money to self-serving desires.

This is the essence of the self-serving apostate church and Nehemiah wasn’t having it. Most of the time our anger is self-serving from the position of I’ve been hurt, or I’m upset because of inconvenience to me. This is not the basis of Nehemiah’s anger. Not because I didn’t get what I had coming or I got something I didn’t have coming. His anger had to do with unselfish motives that were not self-serving, but born from the desire to honor God.  

What is it that makes you angry? What concerns you is a clue to your call. Give some consideration to what is it that makes you angry about you and how can you serve notice on anything country to gods very best in your own life and Legacy. He is a God, who reverses the curse into a Blessing first to?

GP2RL: Take time this week to reflect on Nehemiah’s journey and consider how it applies to your own repenting of anything in your life that isn’t honoring God. 

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NEHEMIAH: Casual Casualties

DISCUSSION GUIDE

Click here for a downloadable PDF file of this guide.

UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Nehemiah is all about rebuilding the ruins of the work of God in our world. God’s people had grown distracted and disconnected from God’s plan for them to be the expression of His Kingdom in the Earth.

Jerusalem had been in ruins since the Babylonian invasion in 586 B.C. Nehemiah lead the third of three returns to Israel after 70 years of exile in Babylon. Even in a state of ruin God was still at work looking for someone who would have a heart to respond to what God was about to do.

This is the condition of the Western church today. Much can be gained by a close examination of Nehemiah’s response in his day. God woke up a fresh movement that brought life but it was met with great challenges. No matter how challenging it was God was always seeing his work through.

God’s work is a work within us as we learn to respond to Him. It is God’s plan is for us to spend time drawing close to his heart and hearing his voice together as a family. This is why we start each meeting with this question first: 

DISCUSSION QUESTION: 

1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God? 

Before reading, please encourage everyone to consider the deeper encounter of the God of the Word as you read the Word of God together. We are believing for the Holy Spirit to awaken his conversational nature as a result.

FOR GROUP LEADERS: The focus of the day is how we cannot afford to be casual about our faith journey. Consider starting your conversation by asking each person to describe a time when being casual about something came with a cost.

We cannot afford to be casual about the fight of faith. It is a fight and if you grow casual in any fight you suffer loss. 

“Casual” means relaxed and unconcerned (casual Fridays), while “casualty” speaks of the loss of life. The Amplified Bible says, “…Jesus came so we might have and enjoy life in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” John 10:10b 

Nehemiah had restored the work of God and this community was flourishing. Nehemiah then had to go back to fulfill duties with the king and when he returned to Jerusalem the people had become casual and their faith became a casualty.

Nehemiah 13:10-12 (God’s people had turned away from worship). I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. 11 So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. ESV

Nehemiah 13:30-31 I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

2. DISCOVER: Have each person give a simple 60 second summary of what these verses are saying, En courage people to try not to add insights or application yet. Just simply summarize. 

3. DEVELOP: What do you sense God may be speaking to you personally as we focus on these verses? 

4. DEPLOY: We are to be doers and not hearers only. What will you do this week in response to what you sense God is revealing in this time together? 

Everywhere we go, we bring...

GP2RL: Purpose to connect with someone over coffee or a meal this week.