"Remembering Your Standing Stones"
TEXTS: Joshua 4:1-8; Psalm 77; Rev. 4:2-5
TRUTHS:
1. We should never dismiss the importance of sowing the Word of God into the hearts of young people. Although we are all born with a proclivity to sin, our hearts are more innocent and receptive as children. This often means that the truth that gets deposited into the hearts of children will be remembered in a positive manner throughout their lives.
2. The Lord desires that every believer experiences “standing stone” moments in their spiritual journey. These moments mark significant change and transformation in our lives. These moments create testimonies of the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness that we can pass on to the generations below us. But we should remember that a faithful commitment is required on our part in order for these moments to take place in our lives.
3. God is at work to help us overcome our sin. Even if we have fallen and given in to temptation repeatedly in our past, there is still hope that we can experience freedom and victory.
4. Sometimes believers tend to only focus on what they want God to do. If this is someone’s sole focus, the door to experience discouragement slowly starts to open. We need to regularly remember and focus on what God has done so our hearts don’t become overly discouraged and burdened.
5. God loves His children and graciously works in our lives so that we keep our “first love.” If our lives become unbalanced and we get distracted from loving and serving Christ, the Lord sovereignly allows our lives to go “splat” so that we turn back to Him.
6. Our present world is designed so that we can experience suffering. There are truths that God wants deposited into our hearts and the only way some of them can get worked into our souls is through experiencing suffering.
7. We should fervently seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives is a major 'standing stone' moment.
TALK TO EACH OTHER:
1. How can you minister to someone who has struggled with a particular sin for a long period of time? What truths or advice can offer them hope and encouragement?
2. What is a significant "standing stone" moment from your spiritual journey? Please share if you are willing and able to.
3. How does the Lord help us overcome our sin? How has He brought about victory in your life?
4. What truths have been deposited into your heart as a result of experiencing and walking through a season of suffering and difficulty?
TALK TO GOD:
Pray as you feel led concerning the following area(s):
- For 'standing stone' moments to take place in our lives
- That our church experiences a season of personal and corporate victory over sin
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