LG Questions :: 09/26/2010

SLW Life Groups | For Further Consideration

Sunday, September 26, 2010 | Shawn Cossin

Message Series | This Side Up :: Week 5

Question :: Can you think of a time when you were NOT living ‘this side up’? What was the result? Also, can you think of a time when you WERE living ‘this side up’? What was the result? Share some observations as a group.

Lately, Shawn’s been talking about the picture or idea of a box – “This Side Up,” inviting people to…

Depend fully on God

Pursue God in the waiting

            Preserving purity

Talk About It :: Share together as a group how peoples’ lives (and your own lives) seem to be more fully in sync with the things of God when they’re doing these things.

Shawn talked about a father and son who went a on bike ride together … Saw a huge hill … Dad thought they could work on teamwork … Going up the hill was tough, but demonstrated perseverance … At the top the son said, “I was on the brakes the entire time.”

Question :: If this story (the bike) illustrates how some people cooperate (or don’t cooperate) with God, what are some of the things you think God wants us to partner with him about? Or to say it another way, what issues stir/concern the heart of God?

Read James 1:27 – What does this reveal about the Father’s heart?

Shawn asked us to imagine our favorite football player (or our favorite person dressed as a football player), who practices with the team, receives a paycheck, suits up, and stands on the sidelines – but does NOT play in the game. He compared that to the way some Christians claim to follow God but don’t “get in the game.”

Question :: Why don’t some people ‘get in the game’? What’s the best way to help people get in the game? What things over the course of your life have inspired you to get in the game and partner with God? Talk about all these as a group for a few moments.

Read Isaiah 58:1-8, with a particular emphasis on verses 6-7

As you reflect on Isaiah 58:6-7, consider this:

…7.1 million Americans 65 and older are in poverty

…27 million people ages 18-64 are in poverty

…27 million men, women, children are held as slaves

…More than 2 million children are exploited annually in global sex trade

Two things Shawn asked us to do:

(1) Pursue partnership – How?

Join the mission at SLW in one of several ways…

            -Anti-Trafficking Initiative

                        -Orphan care

            -Adoption Fund

                        -Partnership for racial reconciliation (Harbor Shine)

            -Helping the poor & hungry (Helping Hands, Jerusalem Fund)

(2) Pray – Pray for all these issues, of course, but…

            -Today’s focus: www.ijm.org

-Pray specifically for those in human trafficking

IN CLOSING…

-What other issues or thoughts did today’s message bring to mind?
-Take time to pray as a group, asking God to break your heart for the things that break God’s heart.