Genuine fellowship within a Bible study group can be an illusion. We could think we are experiencing genuine fellowship because of the fact that on Sunday mornings we gather together. We must be intentional about genuine fellowship. It is going deeper than just "Hello, how are you doing?"
Every time we gather together there are those in the group who are experiencing joy and others who are experiencing sorrow. There are those who are experiencing success and others who are experiencing failure. There are those who are experiencing hope and others who are experiencing despair.
This is why we must go deeper, listen better, and show more compassion.. It takes risk, it take time, it takes effort and it takes a genuine desire for genuine fellowship. Genuine fellowship does not end with the group gathering on Sunday morning but it can definitely start there.
Let's be a group that turns the illusion of genuine fellowship into reality.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Review of November 9, 2008 Group Time
We informed everyone today that we have a blog. I don't know why but everyone started laughing when Darlene told the class that my first blog was very lengthy. Like I have the "gift of gab" or something. O.K. I admitted that I am a "long winded blogger."
Mark it on your calendar now. Our Christmas Party will be on December 12. Bring the kids and it will be a lot of fun. It will be at the Fellowship Hall of the church.
Our lesson today from our study, "One Nation Under God" was entitled, "David: Paradise Lost." Before David became King of Israel, he was the talk of the country because of his victory over Goliath and his continual military victories. Then the bottom fell out. King Saul became jealous of all the top 40 hit songs written about David and committed to seeing David dead.
David had to flee for his life and leave everything behind that was dear to him, except one thing, his relationship with God. While hiding from King Saul, David could have been bitter, cynical and extremely negative. After all he had been on the top and now he was at the bottom. So what did he do? He chose to turn to God in prayer, praise and in total surrender to His will.
When the bottom falls out in our life and we find our self in a "cave," respond as David did. Pray, praise and surrender. Later David became the greatest King in Israel's history. David is also the most mentioned person in the Bible with over 1,100 references in the Bible to David because he knew what to do when he found himself in a cave.
Mark it on your calendar now. Our Christmas Party will be on December 12. Bring the kids and it will be a lot of fun. It will be at the Fellowship Hall of the church.
Our lesson today from our study, "One Nation Under God" was entitled, "David: Paradise Lost." Before David became King of Israel, he was the talk of the country because of his victory over Goliath and his continual military victories. Then the bottom fell out. King Saul became jealous of all the top 40 hit songs written about David and committed to seeing David dead.
David had to flee for his life and leave everything behind that was dear to him, except one thing, his relationship with God. While hiding from King Saul, David could have been bitter, cynical and extremely negative. After all he had been on the top and now he was at the bottom. So what did he do? He chose to turn to God in prayer, praise and in total surrender to His will.
When the bottom falls out in our life and we find our self in a "cave," respond as David did. Pray, praise and surrender. Later David became the greatest King in Israel's history. David is also the most mentioned person in the Bible with over 1,100 references in the Bible to David because he knew what to do when he found himself in a cave.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Review of November 2, 2008 Group Time
If you read this earlier you will notice it is a tad bit shorter. Darlene is helping me learn not to be such a lengthy blogger.
We had a great time together as we always do and remember the key word is "intentional." Call people during the week just to say "Hi." Invite another family out to eat after church or during the week. The time we spend together during the ABF time is just the "primer." Relationships are built by developing those friendships outside of the ABF time on Sunday mornings.
We dove into Lesson #3 in our study, "One Nation Under God." We are discovering that national leaders of the Old Testament had one thing in common. They all had to choose between following God's plan for their life or following their own plan for their life. The same choice that we have today.
Lesson #3 is based on I Samuel where Israel got their first King. His name was Saul. Instead of simply following God, they wanted a King to follow. The people decided to put their trust in man and not in God. That will get you in trouble every time.
The other main lesson that we learned is that it's not always how you start the race but it is how you finish the race that really matters. Saul seemingly started off great but he did not finish well. His life was marked with one disobedient act toward God after the other. We would do well to learn these important lessons.
JT
We had a great time together as we always do and remember the key word is "intentional." Call people during the week just to say "Hi." Invite another family out to eat after church or during the week. The time we spend together during the ABF time is just the "primer." Relationships are built by developing those friendships outside of the ABF time on Sunday mornings.
We dove into Lesson #3 in our study, "One Nation Under God." We are discovering that national leaders of the Old Testament had one thing in common. They all had to choose between following God's plan for their life or following their own plan for their life. The same choice that we have today.
Lesson #3 is based on I Samuel where Israel got their first King. His name was Saul. Instead of simply following God, they wanted a King to follow. The people decided to put their trust in man and not in God. That will get you in trouble every time.
The other main lesson that we learned is that it's not always how you start the race but it is how you finish the race that really matters. Saul seemingly started off great but he did not finish well. His life was marked with one disobedient act toward God after the other. We would do well to learn these important lessons.
JT
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