Unity, Character, and God's Transformative Presence
Summary
In this sermon, I was reminded of the importance of unity and the presence of God in our church. The speaker emphasized that unity is not just about everyone getting along, but about setting high standards for leaders and working towards a common goal. He also stressed the importance of the presence of God in our church, saying that one moment in God's presence can change the course of someone's life. He encouraged us to think bigger and to not limit God with our small thinking.
The speaker also talked about the importance of hard work and character in achieving our goals. He reminded us that while our talents and gifts can get us somewhere, it's our character that will keep us there. He also emphasized that we should work at whatever we do with all our heart, as if we're working for the Lord. He also shared his personal struggles with pastoral care, admitting that it's not his strength but recognizing the need for it in the church.
Key Takeaways:
- Unity in the church is not just about everyone getting along, but about setting high standards for leaders and working towards a common goal. (#!!09:06!!#)
- One moment in God's presence can change the course of someone's life. (#!!11:15!!#)
- While our talents and gifts can get us somewhere, it's our character that will keep us there. (#!!19:56!!#)
- We should work at whatever we do with all our heart, as if we're working for the Lord. (#!!21:35!!#)
- Pastoral care, though not the speaker's strength, is recognized as a crucial need in the church. (#!!26:01!!#)
Study Guide
Takeaways from the sermon:
1. We are encouraged to think bigger and dream bigger. We serve a God who is capable of doing immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. We should not limit God with our small thinking and safe living. (#!!29:14!!#)
2. We are called to put effort into our relationship with God. Just as we put effort into our human relationships, we should also put effort into seeking God and building our relationship with Him. (#!!15:57!!#)
3. We are reminded that our talents and gifts can get us somewhere, but it's our character that will keep us there. We need to work on our character and make right decisions to accomplish what God has for us. (#!!21:35!!#)
Bible Reading:
1. Ephesians 3:14-21 - This passage talks about God's ability to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine.
2. Jeremiah 29:11-14 - This passage encourages us to seek God with all our heart.
Observation Questions:
1. In Ephesians 3:14-21, what does Paul pray for the Ephesians?
2. In Jeremiah 29:11-14, what does God promise to those who seek Him?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 relate to the idea of thinking and dreaming bigger?
2. What does Jeremiah 29:11-14 teach us about the importance of seeking God?
Application Questions:
1. How can you start thinking and dreaming bigger in your own life?
2. What steps can you take to put more effort into your relationship with God?
3. Can you think of a time when your character was tested? How did you respond and what did you learn from that experience?
4. How can you apply the lessons from these Bible passages in your daily life?
5. What specific actions can you take this week to seek God more intentionally?
Devotional
Day 1: Embrace the Journey of Spiritual Growth
Spiritual growth is not about arriving at a destination, but about taking steps every day towards becoming the person God wants us to be. It's about recognizing that we are works in progress, and that every day presents an opportunity for us to grow and mature in our faith. It's about striving to be better today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today ([33:49]).
Bible Passage: Ephesians 4:15 - "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."
Reflection: Reflect on your spiritual journey. What steps can you take today to grow in your faith and become more like Christ?
Day 2: Dream Bigger with God
God is the God of the universe, capable of doing immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. Therefore, we should not limit Him with our small thinking and safe living. Instead, we should dream bigger, trusting that He can and will do great things through us if we are willing to step out in faith ([35:54]).
Bible Passage: Ephesians 3:20 - "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us."
Reflection: What dreams has God placed in your heart? How can you dream bigger and trust Him to do immeasurably more in your life?
Day 3: Embrace Imperfection and Extend Grace
We are not perfect, and we will make mistakes. But instead of being overwhelmed by our imperfections, we should extend grace to ourselves and to others. We should recognize that we are all works in progress, and that God is still working in us and through us, despite our flaws and failures ([23:37]).
Bible Passage: 2 Corinthians 12:9 - "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Reflection: How can you extend grace to yourself and to others when mistakes are made? How can you embrace your imperfections as opportunities for God's power to be displayed in your life?
Day 4: Seek God with All Your Heart
God promises that if we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him. This requires effort on our part. It's not about casually seeking God when it's convenient, but about passionately pursuing Him, desiring to know Him more and to experience His presence in our lives ([15:05]).
Bible Passage: Jeremiah 29:13 - "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
Reflection: How can you seek God with all your heart? What steps can you take to pursue Him more passionately and experience His presence more deeply in your life?
Day 5: Take Steps in Your Walk with God
Our spiritual journey is about taking steps. It's not about achieving perfection in one day, but about making progress over time. Each step we take in our walk with God brings us closer to Him and helps us to grow in our faith ([14:14]).
Bible Passage: Proverbs 4:18 - "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day."
Reflection: What steps can you take in your walk with God this week? How can these steps help you to grow in your faith and draw closer to Him?
Quotes
1. "And even though I'm so thankful for all that God has done, sometimes it's a little bit overwhelming, because we're not seven years old. We haven't had seven years to see what things are. We haven't had seven years of developing leaders where I told you, oh, you trust me, we've got some trust here." - 23:37
2. "But I wanted to say that because I continually ask for grace. I know we're not perfect, I know we make mistakes, I know there's things we're working on." - 24:50
3. "But how many of you know, like God just subodied with a lot of different strengths? It's not that I don't care about people. I want to make sure you understand that it's just not a strength of mine." - 26:01
4. "Whatever dreams you have in your heart, dream bigger. Whatever dreams you have in your heart, once you think dreams bigger. Thank you. I don't know if you're really thinking big enough, actually." - 27:19
5. "I served the God who literally all he had to do was speak it and it was an existence and how dare I insult him with putting them in a little tiny box because I don't believe he can do what he says he's going to do." - 29:14
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