FOR PERSONAL APPLICATION These aspects of the study can be used in between group sessions on your own, either with your spouse or individually as part of your devotional and confessional life. Do Something During the week ahead, turn your learning into doing. 1. Get some time away from your normal routine, pray, reflect, and think deeply in order to find out what areas of your life are motivated by the unhealthy fears you hold. Pinpoint those fears and be proactive about replacing them with the fear of the Lord in a way that begins to change your daily routine. 2. Ask the people who are closest to you to tenderly give you feedback on where they see fear in your life and how you’re motivated by it. Listen without interrupting or defending yourself, and ask clarifying questions to understand how the people in your life see you responding to the fears you have. 3. Ask the Lord to begin working in your heart and life to replace the fears you battle against with the fear of God himself. 4. Take some intentional time to examine your life and see where you have fallen short of utilizing your strength for the benefit of others. Pray and ask the Lord to give you wisdom and guidance about how to best utilize your strength for the benefit of your family, friends, church family, neighbors, etc. 5. Ask the people who you trust the most to describe to you the way you typically use your strength (physical, emotional, social, personality, etc.) and how that has affected them. Again, listen, and don’t interrupt them as they communicate. 6. Admit your need to God and ask him for the ability to change at the heart level as you consider your specific fear struggles and personal utilization of strength. Search Me, O God For introspection during the coming week. How does Jesus model servant strength to you in a way that sets the bar for how you treat others and utilize your strength so others can benefit? In what ways do you need to repent of using your strength to benefit yourself and/or gain control over others? How are you resting in the Lord in such a way that your heart is now open and able to look at all the needs that are around you? How might God be calling you to address those needs you’re seeing and how can you plan specifically to see yourself as a part of the solution to the problems around you? Why is Jesus your only hope for true and lasting change?
Session 1
MEN OF FAITH
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