1. This weekend, we sang "Do it Again Lord." Let's start off by sharing some good news. Where have you seen God's faithfulness in your life in ways that give you hope for tomorrow?
2. What have you heard or learned about spiritual gifts? Do you know what your spiritual gifts are?
1. Last week, we learned that we are God's plan to spread the good news about Jesus. How did you first learn about Jesus? Have you ever shared your faith with anyone? What was that like?
2. We read in
Acts 2:4 that "everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability" and when people from many different nations heard their own languages being spoken by the believers that they were "bewildered." Read
Acts 2:12-13.
The people who heard the believers had mixed responses. What stops us from sharing our faith?
3. Just because God is FOR us doesn't mean that life will be a breeze. Read
Matthew 11:28-30. How do these verses apply to the hard experiences we have in this life, or Greg's thoughts on the Fear Of Not Doing Enough?
4. Read
Romans 8:11,
Romans 8:26, and
Romans 8:31. How do these verses encourage you in your faith? How do they encourage you in sharing your faith?
1. Read
Romans 8 on your own this week. Choose a verse that sticks out to you that you'd like to memorize.
2. Is it possible that you've been attending church and considering what you've heard, but never prayed to talk to God directly about what you believe? If you're ready to turn away from your own sinful nature and let the Holy Spirit guide you (like
Romans 8:12-14 says), tell God.
Romans 8:14 says that confession makes you his child, and
Romans 8:38 says nothing will ever separate you from his love!
3. If we are the Temple in which God's Spirit dwells, take a moment to consider how you are reflecting Him outside the walls of the church. Check out other ways you can join with Crossing folks to serve in our community:
https://thecrossing.church/calendar/25
Holy Spirit, you dwell within those of us who believe. How gracious and kind you are to give us Yourself! Not just closer than our next breath, you ARE the breath in our lungs. The same power that raised Jesus from the grave lives in us. May we remember this as we move throughout the rest of this week, as we face the daily trials that come our way.
God, you are with us, and you are interceding for us when we don't have the words to pray. Thank you.
Remind us this week that because our bodies are your Temple, WE may be the best chance others have to encounter the Spirit of the Living God. May we honor you with our lives and the way we care for one another. Amen.