Beyond Sunday - Good In Tension Week 2

Beyond Sunday, Week of October 20, 2024
"Good In Tension" Week 2

THOUGHTS:
For many of us, the word tension makes us, well, tense. It brings up memories of sweaty palms, nervous stomachs and tight muscles.

But is tension a bad thing?

In some ways, it can work to our benefit. For instance, tension is what allows vehicle seatbelt clips to hold through an accident by transferring the force of your body movement across the length of the belt. This understanding of tension allows vehicle designers to make driving safer.

In the same way, God can use tension in our lives for our benefit. Jesus said as much in John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble.” The meaning of the word trouble here is pressure, which is another way of saying tension. Jesus indicated we will have tension. Why would God allow such a thing?

To answer that question, let’s first start by reminding ourselves of who God is:

1. He is a God who provides.
2. He is a God of peace.
3. He is a God that leads us to victory.
4. He is a God who shepherds us.
5. He is a God who heals.
6. He is a God who is present.
7. He is a God who makes us righteous.
8. He is a God who sanctifies us.

In short, He is a good God.
Next, let’s remind ourselves of our natural tendencies:

1. The heart is deceitful – Jeremiah 17:9
2. We are easily entangled by sin – Hebrews 12:1
3. We are doubleminded – James 1:8
4. Must I go on….

With those things in mind, let’s look at something important that God said to Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. In 2 Chronicles 12, after losing a battle to the Egyptians, God spoke this to Rehoboam: “I will not destroy them (God’s people)…..They will, however, become subject to him (the Egyptian Pharoah), so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.”

In other words, I am going to leave you subject to some trouble, to keep you dependent on me. It’s not punishment that motivates God, it’s love. It reflects His desire to be in relationship with us. So, let’s review the points from Sunday and open it up for discussion.

READ:
Daniel 2
As Pastor Troy said, God has provided a blueprint for us to build our lives on. The three points that are necessary to take hold of are these:

1. God is at work and in control.
a. In what areas of your life have you seen this at work?
b. In what areas of your life are you still waiting to see this at work?
c. What steps do you think you can take to move those areas of your life from waiting to working?

2. God has strategically placed you to be salt and light.
a. Most importantly, do you believe that?
i. If not, why not?
b. How would fully accepting this notion impact the way you approach each day?
c. What steps do you think you can take to fully integrate this idea into your thinking and live it out?

3. Check our motive.
a. As Troy said, the difference between motivation and manipulation is motive.
b. Self evaluation time: What do you think is your primary motivation in life?
i. Share if you are comfortable.
c. What steps do you think you can take to align your motives with God’s heart?



Pray: Praise God for who He is. Thank Him for adopting you into His family. Ask Him to reveal ways in which you can be a better, more faithful and devoted son or daughter. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to influence those with whom you come in contact.
Consider using the prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:10) as a model and ask God to increase your “territory,” your sphere of influence for His Kingdom.

Next Steps:
• If you haven’t entered into a relationship with Jesus, start your faith journey today by accepting Him as your Savior. If you want more info or help with taking that step, or just want to share your news, reach out to the church by calling (785) 775-0012, or email to info@myrockhillschurch.com
• If you have put your faith in Jesus but have not yet been baptized, Sign up to go public with your faith in Jesus by getting water baptized.
• We all need to surround ourselves with a community of others fully surrendered to God, a community that will support us as we walk closer to Him. Check the website here to see what groups might fit your schedule.
**If you want to receive the salvation that is available through Jesus, and find your identity in Him, begin today by placing your faith in Him. Fully trust His death as the sufficient sacrifice for your sins. Completely rely on Him alone as your Savior. That is the biblical method of salvation. If you have received Jesus as your Savior, say a prayer to God. Tell God how thankful you are for Jesus. Offer praise to God for His love and sacrifice. Thank Jesus for dying for your sins and providing salvation for you. That is the biblical connection between salvation and prayer.