Life Application / Accountability
Last week your challenge was to set aside time each day to spend in solitude with the Lord. By doing this it renews our perspective so that we can see things the way God sees them. How did you do?? How many days of last week did you practice solitude?
Sermon Recap
Beauty and the Beast. This is such a great description of the story we talked about this past Sunday. This is the story of David, Abigail, & Nabal. We read this story and it’s so easy for us to pick out the fool in the story. Of course Nabal was a fool just look at how he acted. But David in his anger also almost did some very foolish things. Chances are we are blinded to our own foolishness. That is when we need someone to come and stand in the gap on our behalf. Someone who will calm us down, give us some real truth and talk some sense into us. I’m sure we have all been on the foolish end of the spectrum before. Usually fools won’t listen to reason and they base their actions on selfishness.
This is how Nabal reacted in our Old Testament Story which you will read in a moment. We have to be careful however not to let one person’s selfish act cause us to act in a like manner. The only way I know how to keep ego and pride out of the situations I face, is to daily submit my heart, mind, and life to the Lord. We have to live surrendered for God’s purposes and plan. If we don’t, we very quickly revert back to our natural selfish, sinful nature that thrives on thoughts like; it’s always all about me, I deserve this or that, I didn’t deserve that, that person offended me, I’m gonna make them pay, I want them to feel the same way they made me feel, and so on. There is nothing Godly about any of those statements that were just made. If we can master our response to a bruised ego and offense. Then we will always be able to walk in the joy and peace of Christ.
Key Scripture
Read through these passages together:
I Samuel chapter 25
Discussion Questions
Discuss together, pushing yourself toward transparency. The more we are authentic and humble with one another, the more we can grow in Christ.
How can we stop fools from getting under our skin?
What should our response be to fools?
Have you ever stood in the gap for someone through prayer or action?
What do we need to do to allow God to intervene when we are angry, insulted, or offended by someone?
Prayer
Father, thank you for the joy you give me even when people say and do things against me. Please send wise people into my life to always stand in the gap and speak truth and love to me. And help me to never find myself on the fools end of the spectrum living my own selfish life with my own selfish interests. Today I choose to live for you alone! Let all my words and actions be a reflection of you Jesus. And help me to recognize when I need to be like Abigail and stand in the gap for someone with grace and truth.
Life Application / Accountability For The Upcoming Week
This week practice living completely unselfish. Instead live a selfless life choosing to serve your family, your spouse, your co-worker, your neighbor and whoever God might place in your path. Even if they are not the easiest people to serve or love.
Don’t Forget!
Register for the Immerse Women's Conference
Evening prayer is Sept. 11th
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