"Let There Be Order"
TEXTS: Genesis 1; Luke 1:67-71
TRUTHS:
1. We are a "leaky" people. The strength we experience from hearing, praying, and singing God's Word diminishes rather quickly. This is why we need to continually receive and meditate on the Word of God.
2. The Holy Spirit stirs within us and our worship services so that He can bring order to our hearts and lives. The Spirit of God works so that steps towards order and righteousness can be made both personally and corporately.
3. God desires that there is fellowship between Himself and humanity. God speaks and brings order so that fellowship can be experienced. But the enemy brings chaos and distraction so that we are led away from fellowship with God.
4. The children of God should be filled with joy. A primary source of this joy is to be found from the relationships that God has filled our lives with. The temptation we face is to allow those relationships to become divisive and discouraging.
5. There are doctrines and biblical truths that we must approach with like-minded unity. But there are also aspects of the Christian faith where it is healthy and allowable to have different opinions about what is correct. We need to be careful as we seek to understand which aspects require unity and which aspects allow for healthy disagreement. Additionally, we need to examine our lives to ensure that we are not divisive about the parts of our faith where it is acceptable to have different opinions concerning what the Bible is teaching us.
6. God desires that we overcome the enemy and experience victory over what divides us. When this is accomplished we will find that our lives are on the path of peace. The gospel is able to bring about victory over fear and God wants to do this important work within us throughout the new year.
TALK TO EACH OTHER:
1. Do you think the Lord intentionally designed for us to be leaky? Why or why not?
2. How do the relationships we have within the family of God fill us with joy?
3. What are some examples of things that a local congregation should not allow to divide them? Why is it so important that a local church takes the issue of what divides and unites us so seriously?
4. What are some common tactics that the enemy uses to cause chaos and distract us from fellowship with God? Both personally and corporately?
5. What will help believers overcome the things that tend to show up and divide a local church family? Are there any particular truths and/or actions that will help prepare us to experience victory in this area?
TALK TO GOD:
Pray as you feel led concerning the following areas:
- Victory over everything that may be used to divide us
- That our hearts are sensitive to the Spirit's leading
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