Weekly Reading for September 16 – 22
Preparing for Next Week’s Message
Sermon Series: PeaceSermon Title: Seeking Peace With Yourself
This reading plan will get your heart and mind set for the next message on September 23, 2018:
- SUNDAY: Philippians 4, Philippians 4,
- MONDAY: John 16, John 16,
- TUESDAY: 1 Peter 5, 1 Peter 5,
- WEDNESDAY: Psalm 34, Psalm 34,
- THURSDAY: Isaiah 32, Isaiah 32,
- FRIDAY: Isaiah 53, Isaiah 53,
- SATURDAY: Colossians 1:20, Colossians 1:20,
Reflecting on the Most Recent Sermon
Sermon Series: PeaceSermon Title: Seeking Peace When We Disagree...it is possible!
Delivered On: September 16, 2018
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Memorize and Reflect
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… (Matthew 5:43-44)Prayer Direction
Ask God to help you listen to people you disagree with. Confess where you are prone to shut people off or block them out when they have a differing perspective. Invite the Holy Spirit to help you learn from people who have a different outlook on life… while still holding with conviction to your faith.“Live It!” Challenge
a Hard Prayer: Think about a person who might see you as an enemy or have animosity toward you (it could be a single person or a group of people). Pray for God to move in their life, to lead them, and to reveal himself to them. Pray that they would so know the love of Jesus that they would receive overflowing blessings!Small Group Discussion
What are the kinds of disagreements you find yourself in most often? What seems to spark these disagreements?
What are ways you have seen disagreements lead to tension and a loss of peace between people?
Read: John 4:4-26. What were some of the differences and disagreements that existed between Jesus and this woman in Samaria?
How might these differences have kept Jesus and this woman from having a conversation…and even kept this woman from becoming a Christian if they had not pressed through the differences and talked to each other?
How did many of their differences remain even though they clearly respected and listened to each other?
Who is one person you have disagreed with in the past that you need to seek out and try to have a fresh and new conversation with? How can your group members pray for you as you take this step of peace?
Read: Matthew 5:43-47. Why is it so hard to extend love to those who see us as an enemy (or those we view as an enemy)?
Why is praying for an enemy a good starting place in seeking peace and healing in a relationship? Without giving too much detail (and starting to gossip), what is a step toward genuine prayer for an “enemy” that you can take?
What is a specific step of love (in action) that you can take in the coming week as you seek to find peace with a person you have faced disagreement with? How can your group members pray for you and keep you accountable to take this step toward peace?
What are the kinds of disagreements you find yourself in most often? What seems to spark these disagreements?
What are ways you have seen disagreements lead to tension and a loss of peace between people?
Read: John 4:4-26. What were some of the differences and disagreements that existed between Jesus and this woman in Samaria?
How might these differences have kept Jesus and this woman from having a conversation…and even kept this woman from becoming a Christian if they had not pressed through the differences and talked to each other?
How did many of their differences remain even though they clearly respected and listened to each other?
Who is one person you have disagreed with in the past that you need to seek out and try to have a fresh and new conversation with? How can your group members pray for you as you take this step of peace?
Read: Matthew 5:43-47. Why is it so hard to extend love to those who see us as an enemy (or those we view as an enemy)?
Why is praying for an enemy a good starting place in seeking peace and healing in a relationship? Without giving too much detail (and starting to gossip), what is a step toward genuine prayer for an “enemy” that you can take?
What is a specific step of love (in action) that you can take in the coming week as you seek to find peace with a person you have faced disagreement with? How can your group members pray for you and keep you accountable to take this step toward peace?