Make Every Marble Count
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Photo by Crissy Jarvis on Unsplash
Day 1: Read Ephesians 5:15. Consider a decision you’ve made in the last week and one that you are facing in the week ahead. What is the wise thing to do ... (per Andy Stanley) ...
- In light of my past experiences?
- In light of my present circumstances?
- In light of my future hopes and dreams?
Day 2: Read Ephesians 5:17. As you seek to understand God’s will, think back over some of the significant events in your life and run them through these questions -- What is God teaching you in your ...
- Spiritual Experiences: What have been the meaningful or decisive times with God in your life?
- Educational Experiences: What were your favorite subjects in school? What areas of life do you like to study?
- Painful Experiences: What lessons have you learned from the problems, hurts, and trials of life?
- Ministry Experiences: How have you served God in the past?
- Work Experiences: What jobs have you enjoyed and achieved results doing?
Put them all together. What wisdom is God teaching you?
Day 3: Read Ephesians 5:16. Think over the past 86,400 seconds of your life (that’s 1 day – 24 hours). How have you made each second count? How did God guide you? Where did you forget He was present? What adjustments will you make for your next 86,400 seconds?
Day 4: Read Ephesians 5:18. The Greeks (the language in which the New Testament is written) had 2 words for time – Chronos and Kairos. Paul uses Kairos in Ephesians 5. With Chronos time think “calendar”. Kairos time think “compass”. A clock counts each hour, a compass sets course and direction. As you consider what drives your life (Paul gives 2 options in verse 18), what makes your moments matter each day?
Day 5: Read Ephesians 5:19. With whom do you share “God talk” as Paul describes it in this verse? When? Where? Why those people and those places and not others? How might the places, and people you tell, sing and share about God, expand in the week ahead?
Day 6: Read Ephesians 5:20. Every time you say 'thank you' -- that's making your marble count. Look back over the past 24 hours, what are some obvious “Thank Yous” you can extend to God? What are some unexpected ways, that you, at first, felt like asking God what He was doing, and now you are moved to give thanks?
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You can GO DEEPER this week by reading the book Ask It: The Question That Will Revolutionize How You Make Decisions by Andy Stanley.
Don't forget you can watch this week's sermon message or read the full PDF of the sermon message & GPS.
CREATE FOR COMMUNITY PRAYER REQUESTS: For patience with parking challenges during construction (currently estimating completion by the end of August 2019). For safety and efficiency of our construction crews. For those who have given generously for these improvements.