Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for the week.

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for today.

FRIDAY: Do Worship…Don’t Worry

Big Point: Any time we choose to worry rather than worship, we have forgotten how much God loves us.

“Remember your problem is not that you don’t love God.

The problem is you don’t understand how much He loves you.”

-Rick Warren

Worry says we are unsure of who is in control. Worry says we don’t trust God to work things out for our good. It says we are not sure if the creator of the universe, the God who created us, is really there, looking out for us. In those moments, we fail to recall that perfect, beautiful, lavish love. Conversely, when we choose to worship, we are returning the love that Our Father first gave to us. We are praising Abba for keeping us safe, for caring for us more than any other thing in creation. We are remembering and attempting to fathom how much our God loves us.

As we have mentioned before, worry is a choice. God granted us free will and so it is our decision to accept and return the extravagant love of Our Father, or to deny it. We need to decide if we will panic or pray, worry or worship. Will we choose to constantly look at ourselves, our problems and concerns, or look to God and allow Him to handle things that are beyond our control? We must remember to choose love and decide that God’s love for us is more abundant and real than we could ever imagine. It’s certainly bigger than anything we can think to worry about. Worship over worry is always the best option.

 

READ and THINK….Find Answers in the Bible

* Read the scripture and answer the question about that scripture below it.

Matthew 6:31-34 (New Living Translation)

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.  So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Question: What does Jesus say we should never worry about? What should be our concern?

Answer:

 

 

Romans 6:13(b) (New Living Translation © 1996)

“Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life.”

Question: Why should we give ourselves completely to God?

Answer:

 

 

John 1:12 (New Living Translation © 1996)

“To all who believed him and accepted him, Jesus gave the right to become children of God.”

Question: This verse gives us a chance to do a little review: When we become children of God, what “rights” do we gain?

Answer:

 

 

LIVE … What will you do

In Matthew 6:34, Jesus tells us to live day by day. How could adopting that way of living change your tendency to worry? What do you think Jesus means when he says “tomorrow will bring its own worries…today’s trouble is enough for today”?

 

1. Say this week’s memory verse out loud several times. What do you think it means to give yourself completely to God?

 

2. Now look at John 1:12. Can you see the correlation between the two?

 

Pray … God what do you want me to know and do?

Give thanks to our heavenly Father for His unending love. Ask Him to help you to remain in Him. Pray for forgiveness for forgetting His amazing love every time you worry. Ask for His help to remember to live day by day, basking in the warmth of His love and purpose for your life.

 

What on Earth Am I Here For?

—Day 13 reading—

“Worship That Pleases God”

 

Weekend Updates!

• The Leadership Summit is coming to CedarCreek again. The Willow Creek Association Leadership Summit will be held at CedarCreek Church on August 8th and 9th. The early bird special is only $75.00 and you can sign up online at www.cedarcreek.tv.
• Interested in getting baptized? New Community is scheduled to take place at the Whitehouse Campus on Sunday, April 21st at 6pm. Check the ATC for baptism class dates OR go to www.cedarcreek.tv/baptism to sign-up for this month’s baptism service online.
• Do you love to write? Do you enjoy learning new things? If so, we’re inviting you to attend our LivingItOut Writer’s seminar on Saturday, April 27 at the Perrysburg Campus from 9am-1pm. We’ve got some excellent instructors who will share great tips on how you can improve your writing—whether you want to communicate better with friends or at work. We’ll also explain how you can be a part of our LivingItOut Writing Team. Contact Dianap@CedarCreek.tv to register. There is no charge.
• Ladies, your chance to be Fabulous ends on May 3! Our Fabulous women’s conference registration deadline is Friday, May 3. Be encouraged, inspired and challenged by two days of fun, food, great speakers and awesome music. Go to www.cedarcreek.tv/fabulous for more information and to register.

Living It Out:  April 2013

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9

(New Living Translation)

Living It Out

It is the dream of CedarCreek that everyone who calls this their church home will be reading and studying the same topics, both individually and in groups. Each week, join with thousands of others at CedarCreek Church in applying God’s Word, the Bible, into your daily life. Our hope is that while we learn and grow together, as individuals and as a church, we will collectively live out the weekend message.

Living It Out resources, such as the Daily Bible Study, Daily Bible Reading Plan, Discussion Questions and Scripture Memory Verses are designed to help us embrace a missional mindset…a mindset that compels us to love Jesus, serve others and tell the world about Christ.

Living It Out: Daily Bible Study…Daily Bible study activities to reflect on the weekend message

Living It Out: Daily Bible Reading Plan…Read through the Bible in 1 year—Old and New Testament will alternate month to month.

Living It Out: Discussion Questions…Weekly questions to discuss with others

Living It Out: Scripture Memory…Memorize one Bible verse per month

All of these resources are also available electronically at www.livingitout.tv, where you can subscribe to have any or all of them emailed to you as they are updated.

We Want Your Feedback!
Tell us about any questions or comments you have about this week’s Living It Out: Daily Bible Study. Forward them to DianaP@cedarcreek.tv

Living It Out: Daily Bible Reading Plan scriptures are listed for each day. By completing each of the daily readings, you will read the entire Old Testament in 1 year. These readings are separate from the Daily Bible Study.

 

RESOURCES:

What On Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren

This week’s Living It Out Daily Bible Study written by:

Becky Miller

Barb Roose

Kelda Strausburg

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for today.

THURSDAY: Gain Courage to Take Risks

Big Point: With God anything is possible!

“As I stand in the eye of the storm

It’s Your love that keeps guiding me home.

I’m fearless!”

~Group1Crew “Fearless”

There are many stories in the Bible of people gaining great courage from God and stepping out to take huge risks. Some are more well-known than others. Moses, Joshua, David and Gideon are stories most people are familiar with and then there’s Habakkuk, Esther and Ruth. In every case, God gave them the strength to take a tremendous leap of faith! For the most part, we have been blessed not to face many life and death situations that demand extreme courage, although it may feel that way at times. So, if we are not risking death, what scares us so much? The fear of rejection, punishment, abandonment or even embarrassment can be strong deterrents to taking risks.

Our focus, in any situation, needs to be on God—that God loves us and will empower us with strength and courage. The Bible says there is no fear in love! If we accept God’s love for us and believe that He is always there, no matter what, there is nothing to fear.

When Joshua took over for Moses, he had some BIG sandals to fill! Can you imagine the pressure? He took over at the end of the journey, just when it was time to fight. He had to be freaking out. But, God commanded him to be strong and courageous. Joshua knew that God loved him and he trusted that God would be with him. And he was right; the Israelites moved into the Promised Land without a fight.

Unless we trust in the fact that God loves us truly and unconditionally, it is difficult to live courageously. How can we take risks when we worry about the outcome? When we live in love, all fear is stripped away and it is easier to take risks for God without fear of failure or punishment, for we know that He loves us no matter what.

 

READ and THINK….Find Answers in the Bible

*Read the scripture and answer the question about that scripture below it.

1 John 4:18 (New International Version)

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.

Question: Why can’t there be fear where there is love? Why is God’s love the only “perfect” love? What does “perfect” love do?

Answer:

 

 

In the Old Testament, Joshua was one of the greatest leaders of Israel. After Moses died and the Israelites were preparing to enter into the Promised Land, God spoke to Joshua and cast a vision for his life as well as some instructions on how to live. Here is a portion of what God said to Joshua:

Joshua 1:9 (New International Version)

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Question: What are God’s commands? Why do you think God specifically addressed Joshua’s attitude and emotions rather than giving him a “to-do” list?

Answer:

 

 

Question: God gave Joshua His commands in advance because He knew that Joshua would be called to do great things AND would face tremendous challenges along the way. So, what are God’s ending words in Joshua 1:9?

Answer:

 

 

LIVE … What will you do?

God often calls us to do things outside of our comfort zone—whether it is a life change or an abandoning of “sin”. In either situation, we have lots of feelings that can prevent us from acting, but God is calling us to be strong and courageous. What are some of those areas for you?

 

 

 

Look at 1 John 4:18 again. How can absolute trust in that verse change your perspective on fear?

 

 

 

Look at Joshua 1:9 again. Notice how God did not just say to Joshua, “hey, it’s ok, don’t be scared…” He COMMANDED Joshua to be strong and courageous, because God was always with him.

Can you envision God being with you wherever you go? How would believing that God always had your back make you more courageous?

 

 

PRAY … God what do you want me to know and do?

Thank God for His remarkable love, which is with you wherever you go. Ask His forgiveness for any fear that lives in your heart where His perfect love should be. Tell Him that you are ready to be strong and courageous and step out in faith because of His astounding and unfailing love.

 

What on Earth Am I Here For?

—Day 12 reading—

“Developing Your Friendship With God”

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for today.

WEDNESDAY—Having PEACE in Pain You Don’t Understand

Big Point: Knowing “why” doesn’t take away the pain, but God’s presence does.

“Now God, who has made us, knows what we are and that our happiness[our peace] lies in Him.” -C.S. Lewis

Two weeks ago, our hearts were saddened when we found out that Rick Warren’s son, Matthew, had taken his life after years of fighting substantial mental illness. All of us know tragedy and pain, so our hearts and prayers are with the Warrens as they grieve this devastating loss.

Right now, they are walking the road that we are discussing in today’s Bible study: How to have peace in pain we don’t understand.

Here is an excerpt of Rick’s talk on this topic: “God doesn’t owe you an explanation for why He allows anything. I’ll tell you this: Not everything that happens in the world is God’s will. God hates evil and there’s a lot of evil done in the world. God could easily take away evil. Very simple. Take away your freedom to do it. And mine too. Because you’ve done some evil things in life and so have I. He could easily get rid of all suffering by taking away your choice and my choice and turn us all into puppets. But He wants us to voluntarily love him so He puts up with the pain that evil causes in order to give you the freedom of choice.”

Throughout your life, you will experience a lot of pain that you won’t understand—losses, hurts, rejection, problems. But, peace doesn’t come from understanding the pain and explanations don’t necessarily make it any better, or make you any happier, the loss and hurt still exist. Rick continues, “Explanations don’t comfort. What you need is not an explanation. You need presence. The presence of God in your life. What you need is what the Bible calls ‘the peace that passes understanding’.”

READ and THINK…Find the answers

* Read the scripture and answer the question about that scripture below it.

Philippians 4:7 (New International Version)

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Question: How would you describe God’s peace? What does it look like? Feel like? How does it change our hearts and minds? What is the difference between understanding “why” something happened and the peace that “passes all understanding”? What are the pros and cons of both?

Answer:

 

 

Romans 8:28 (New International Version)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Question: Circle the word “all”. Does this mean that there is anything that could ever happen in your life that is outside of God’s ability to redeem (bring goodness out of hardship or tragedy)?

Answer:

 

 

LIVE…What will you do now?

Where are the places in your life that you ask “why God”? Do you have any resentment, anger or bitterness toward God because you haven’t received an answer or explanation? (It’s okay to be really honest here.)

 

 

 

Rick and Kay Warren have lost their son. Chances are, they prayed for their son’s healing from mental illness and that prayer has seemingly gone unanswered. The Warrens could be angry that God hasn’t answered that prayer, yet, we believe that they are experiencing God’s peace in their pain. How is that even possible? List some places in your life where you need God’s peace:

 

 

 

One of the caveats of Romans 8:28 is that God redeems any circumstance—even the most horrific and heartbreaking—but this happens only in His timing. Our responsibility is to trust that He is our Father and that His love is big enough to hold us until we are healed. What are some circumstances in your life that you need to trust God to redeem?

 

 

 

PRAY…God, What do you want me to know and do?

Dear God, this is such a difficult area for us as humans to handle. We know that You hear our prayers, but God, we struggle when you don’t say “yes” when we want You to. So, please God, continue to remind us that You are our Abba Father and that you will give us peace that passes all understanding, no matter what we are going through. Thank you. Amen.

 

What on Earth Am I Here For?

—Day 11 reading—

“Becoming Best Friends with God”

 

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for today.

TUESDAY — Be BOLD! Bring your needs to God!

Big Point: You are a child of God. You get special privileges!

“I have felt His hand upon me in great trials and submitted to His guidance, and I trust that as He shall further open the way, I will be ready to walk therein, relying on His help and trusting in His goodness and wisdom.”

- Abraham Lincoln

From Rick Warren: “You know what impressed me the most about Lincoln? It was not what a great leader he was. He was. A magnanimous leader. What impressed me the most throughout that movie was how he gave total, complete, and unconditional access to his youngest child, Tad. Here’s Lincoln, the most powerful man in the world in the greatest crisis in American history, the Civil War. There is a line of people outside, waiting to get into the Oval Office, waiting for weeks for an appointment; little Tad can come barging into the Oval Office at any point and Lincoln will stop talking to the Secretary of War or the Secretary of Defense or whatever and sit down and put Tad on his lap and say, what’s going on? And Tad will even come in pulling a little trailer, all kinds of stuff. He has privileges. He’s a son. He’s not like all the other people in the outer room. He’s family. He gets special entry. He has total access.

I’m a son of God. You’re a son of God. You’re a daughter of God. You get total access because He loves you that much. He doesn’t say, I’ll put you down for an appointment in three months.

You can come boldly to God and talk to him about anything, anytime, anywhere and God’s not going to go, excuse me but I’m a little busy. I’m trying to solve the Middle East crisis right now. No, you are a child of God. You get special privileges. You’re bold in bringing your needs to God.”

 

READ and THINK…What does the Bible say?

* Read the scripture and answer the question about that scripture below it.

Romans 8:14-15, 17 (New International Version)

All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God! So, you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family—calling him ‘Father, dear Father’ … And since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too.”

Question: The Middle Eastern word for “father” is “abba”. What do these verses reveal about God’s character as well as what He desires to give us as His children?

Answer:

 

 

Question: There are so many people—maybe you—who have a mental picture of a stern, angry or punitive God. How does the scriptural author address that faulty mischaracterization of God?

Answer:

 

 

Hebrews 4:16 (New International Version)

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Question: When we have needs—big or small—we are instructed to go to God in confidence. What does “with confidence” mean in this verse?

Answer:

 

 

Question: There are actually two parts to this verse—first we are to approach with confidence because we know God’s character and then, what do we receive in return?

Answer:

 

 

LIVE…What will you do now?

We fear asking for help from those who may hurt us or don’t care for us. Likewise, many of us struggle with coming to God for our deepest needs (tangible or intangible) because we don’t see Him as an always-loving God. When do you fear God doesn’t love you enough to care about your needs?

 

 

What’s harder for you: asking God for BIG things or small things?

 

 

Today’s verse from Romans is very powerful because it reminds us that no matter how badly our earthly father figures may have failed us, God is our loving Father and we don’t have to fear asking Him for anything we need.

So, what’s your “BIG ask” of God? What are your “little asks”?

 

 

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know and do?

We all have needs—big and small. So, today’s prayer is an opportunity for you to experience the freedom and joy of talking with God about the needs in your life. Hebrews reminds us to go to God in confidence—He won’t reject your decision to come to Him in prayer. Don’t delay. Don’t assume He already knows. Just pray.

 

What on Earth Am I Here For?

—Day 10 reading—

“The Heart of Worship”

 

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for today.

MONDAY — Feel Accepted Rather Than Ashamed

Big Point: God loves you unconditionally and you are made acceptable to Him through Christ Jesus.

“…If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

-Mother Theresa

The majority of people go through life avoiding God because they are ashamed. They feel condemnation, judgment, criticism and the weight of their choices and sins. They fear pursuing God and have no desire to spend time with a perfect God who will constantly remind them of the ways that they have failed.

But, that’s not who God is; Jesus did not come to condemn. Jesus came to make us acceptable—completely, unconditionally, totally, fully—to God. This is the truth that sets you free from the need to please people. Throughout your life you have made decisions based on the opinions, expectations and desires of others, all to receive their approval. You may have spent your entire life seeking the approval of unappeasable people, doing everything they ask or what you think they want and you will probably never get it.

When you recognize that God places no conditions on His love, you will be set free. You will no longer need their acceptance or approval to be happy. Even criticism won’t bother you as much. Rick Warren says, “I know God loves me unconditionally. So what’s your problem? I don’t need your approval. I don’t need it! And whether you like me or not is totally irrelevant to my happiness.”

You are here to be loved by God. Your acceptability to God is never in question. No one can condemn you. You are accepted, not ashamed.

 

READ and THINK…What does the Bible say?

* Read the scripture and answer the question about that scripture below it.

Romans 5:1 (Contemporary English Version)

By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God.

Question: How is it that we are acceptable to God? What allows us to be in relationship with Him?

Answer:

 

Romans 8:33-34 (Contemporary English Version)

If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them? Or can anyone condemn them? No indeed! Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us.

Question: What are you free from because of Christ’s death and resurrection? God’s chosen people are those who believe in His son, Jesus Christ. According to the scripture, what does God say about His chosen ones?

Answer:

 

 

LIVE…What will you do now?

We spend most of our lives looking for love and acceptance, but we look in the wrong places. Quite often we want approval from others, but rarely find it. What are some of the actions you’ve taken or decisions you’ve made to impress or appease others?

 

 

God loves you unconditionally, which means, no matter what you’ve done or how far away from Him you feel, you are acceptable to Him because of Jesus’ death on the cross. How do you think living your life feeling accepted by God could change everything?

 

 

Have you ever been criticized? Most of us have in one way or another. Reread Romans 8:33-34 and the box quote. How do these two passages relate to one another and what do they tell you about seeking approval from others? What truth about acceptance, as it relates to God, do these passages reveal?

 

 

Knowing that you are unconditionally loved and accepted by God, what action(s) are you encouraged to take? How will you live out this freedom from shame?

 

 

Pray … God, what do you want me to know and do?

Praise God for His incredible and never-ending love. Thank Him for making a way, through Jesus, for you to be acceptable to God, His chosen one. Ask God to help you accept and feel His love and acceptance so you can be free from shame.

 

What on Earth Am I Here For?

—Day 9 reading—

“What makes God Smile”

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for the week.

 

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for today.

FRIDAY — God Empowers You and Gives You a Reward

Big Point:  “This is a test, this is only a test.”

I don’t know anything more important than… the calling that God is going to judge and evaluate and determine what rewards you get in heaven.

- Rick Warren

Week one of our six week journey together concludes tomorrow. Today’s point is that this earthly life is like a trial run. It is a test drive for the real deal, the life that we will spend eternally in Heaven. God made us in these bodies, with this purpose, to see how we respond to what He has given us. Even if we don’t exactly know what our calling is, the Bible tells us how to behave. God empowers us with the knowledge and the resources to do His will. The Bible tells us that if we do a good job, we will be rewarded in Heaven. 

So here we are in this dress rehearsal, and we are presented with relationships and situations. We are given tools with which to live and succeed in these relationships and situations and God wants to see how we respond. When we commit ourselves to God’s calling for our lives, it is really an entire way of being. God empowers us to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Him, so that we can fully appreciate the prize that is waiting for us in heaven. 

In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells us about a master who entrusts several of his servants with some money before he goes on a trip. When he returns, he wants to know what the servants have done with the money. Two of the men     invest, but the other is scared and buries the money, rather than risking loss. Just as in this parable, God has given us talents and wants us to make a return on His investment. The master is very angry with the man who was too scared to take a risk, but to the other men he says, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many”. In this way, God will share the riches of Heaven with us if we prove faithful with what He has given us here on earth.

READ and THINK…What does the Bible say?

*Read the scripture and answer the question about that scripture below it.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 (Good News Translation)

…Live the kind of life that pleases God, who calls you to share in his own Kingdom and glory.

Ephesians 4:1 (New Contemporary Version)

I now urge you to live the life to which God called you.

Question:  What kind of life are we called to live in 1 Thessalonians 2:12 and   Ephesians 4:1? What does 1 Thessalonians 2:12 say will happen if we do so?

Answer:

 

1 Thessalonians 5:24 (New International Version)

The one that calls you is faithful and he will do it.

Question:  What hope does 1 Thessalonians 5:24 give us?

Answer:

 

Philippians 3:14 (New International Version)

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Question: Throughout the entire book of Philippians, Paul describes just how   challenging life can be. But he seems to be encouraging us to stay focused on what in chapter 3 verse 14? How do you suspect that helped Paul?

Answer:

 

LIVE…What will you do now?

Even if you are uncertain of God’s exact calling for your life, what can you do to be sure that you are living a life that is pleasing to God?

 

 

 

Imagine what it would be like to get to heaven and have the Lord say to you “well done, good and faithful servant!”  When situations or relationships get difficult, how can thinking of the prize that awaits you in heaven help you to press on toward your goal?

 

 

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know and do?

Thank God for empowering us with the tools and talents to not only make it through this life, but to live a life worthy of eternity. Praise Him for the awesome prize that awaits you in Heaven with Christ Jesus. Ask for His continued help in showing you your calling and that He will give you the power to Live It Out.

What on Earth Am I Here For?

—Day 6 reading—

“Life Is A Temporary Assignment”

 

Weekend Updates!

• The Daily Bible Reading for Saturday, April 13th: Samuel 28:1-29:11/Luke 19:1-48
• The What On Earth Am I Here For?, Day 7 reading:  “The Reason for     Everything”
• The Leadership Summit is coming to CedarCreek again. Willow Creek Association Leadership Summit will be held at CedarCreek Church on August 8th and 9th. The early bird special is only $75.00 and you can sign up online at www.cedarcreek.tv.
• Interested in getting baptized? New Community is scheduled to take place at the Whitehouse Campus on Sunday April 21st at 6pm. Check the Around the Creek for Baptism class dates.

Living It Out:April 2013

“What on Earth Am I Here For?”

Memory Verse

I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.

Isaiah 44:2a (Contemporary English Version)

 

Living It Out

It is the dream of CedarCreek that everyone who calls this their church home will be reading and studying the same topics, both individually and in groups. Each week, join with thousands of others at CedarCreek Church in applying God’s Word, the Bible, into your daily life. Our hope is that while we learn and grow together, as individuals and as a church, we will collectively live out the weekend message.

Living It Out resources, such as the Daily Bible Study, Daily Bible Reading Plan, Discussion Questions and Scripture Memory Verses are designed to help us embrace a missional mindset…a mindset that compels us to love Jesus, serve others and tell the world about Christ.

Living It Out: Daily Bible Study…Daily Bible study activities to reflect on the weekend message

Living It Out: Daily Bible Reading Plan…Read through the Bible in 1 year—Old and New Testament will alternate month to month.

Living It Out: Discussion Questions…Weekly questions to discuss with others

Living It Out: Scripture Memory…Memorize one Bible verse per month

All of these resources are also available electronically at www.livingitout.tv, where you can subscribe to have any or all of them emailed to you as they are updated.

We Want Your Feedback!
Tell us about any questions or comments you have about this week’s Living It Out: Daily Bible Study. Forward them to DianaP@cedarcreek.tv

Living It Out: Daily Bible Reading Plan scriptures are listed for each day. By completing each of the daily readings, you will read the entire Old Testament in 1 year. These readings are separate from the Daily Bible Study.

RESOURCES:

What on Earth Am I Here For? - Rick Warren

www.biblegateway.com

www.biblestudytools.com

The Jerusalem Bible (1985)

This week’s Living It Out Daily Bible Study written by:

Diana Patton
Becky Miller
Kelda Strausbourg

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for today.

THURSDAY — My Calling is Connected to Others

Big Point: It’s refreshing to know that God called you to be connected to others; think of how lonely you would be otherwise!

Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays.

-Andrew Murray

Your calling, the assignment, purpose, vision or dream that God has for your life, is connected to other people. It is impossible to fulfill your purpose in life by yourself. Apart from others, we cannot succeed in our calling. Rick Warren emphasizes that, “Calling and community go together. You cannot be what God wants you to be…fulfill what God wants you to fulfill…enjoy your destiny on your own. You have to do it connected to other people.”

Think about the different parts of your body. An eye can translate the world into beautiful pictures for your brain to store as memory. An ear can bring you the sounds of the ocean or the voice of a friend. A hand can write, fix things, or support a friend. But, an eyeball outside of the socket cannot see. An ear lopped off cannot hear. A hand removed cannot pick up a child. Apart from the body, each part is worthless—powerless, talentless, purposeless—because they are not connected. You have to be connected to the body to fulfill your calling.

There is a similar example in nature. The beautiful and grand Redwoods, or Sequoias, are magnificent trees that commonly grow to between 200-275 feet tall, though the tallest one currently measures 368.6 ft. As tall as Redwoods are, they have a comparably shallow root system, but somehow they rarely fall. The reason? The redwoods’ root systems reach out for great distances and are intertwined with one another, literally holding each other up.

We are a church family, God’s family. In order to reach our full potential, we need to support each other—hold one another up!

READ and THINK…What does the Bible say?

*Read the scripture and answer the question about that scripture below it.

Ephesians 4:4 (New Living Translation)

For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

Question: Circle each phrase that includes “one”. What is the significance of this idea? Are we able to succeed alone?

Answer:

 

Hebrews 3:1 (God’s Word Translation)

Brothers and sisters, you are holy partners in a heavenly calling.

Question: Our belief in Christ unites us as a family. What does it mean to call one another brothers and sisters? How does this help us fulfill our “heavenly calling”?

Answer:

 

Romans 14:7 (New International Version)

For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.

Question: At what point in our Christian journey of faith and fellowship should we expect to “go it alone”?

Answer:

 

LIVE…What will you do now?

It is necessary to connect with others in order to fulfill your calling. How can you get connected? (If you need some ideas, check out http://cedarcreek.tv/get-connected/around-the-creek/).

 

 

 

Perhaps you are serving others, but are you involved in small group study? Small group studies, called LifeGroups at CedarCreek, help you to learn with others, encourage each other and hold one another up. If you are not in a LifeGroup, what’s holding you back? If you are, how have the people in your group helped you to grow in your faith toward your calling?

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 4:12 reads, “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken”. When we stand together, we are stronger and more apt to accomplish the calling for which we were chosen. Who are the people that stand with you? Who will you stand beside? Write out their names. Spend some time praying for them and thanking God for them.

 

 

 

 

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know and do?

Praise God for creating us to work as one body for His great purpose. Thank Him for blessing you with friendships within your church family that have helped you and will help you to grow and fulfill your purpose. Ask God to give you the courage to stay connected, both in reaching out to others and holding others up, as well as  allowing yourself to be supported. Ask Him to grant you security in the relationships built upon the solid rock of Christ Jesus.

What on Earth Am I Here For?

—Day 5 reading—

“Seeing Life From God’s View”

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for today.

WEDNESDAY—  Your Calling Is Permanent, No Matter What

Big Point: Although your  job or career, even your whole life, may change, your calling from God remains the same.

Paul was a pretty rude dude in a crude mood before he became an apostle.

 - Rick Warren

You have probably heard the saying, “the only thing in life you can always count on is change”. So, it should be a comfort to know that in the midst of turmoil, upheaval and doubt, one thing about yourself can always be trusted. The Bible says that God chose your life and shaped you before you ever saw the light of day! You were custom made for your calling and nothing can change that.

Although it may often feel that you are floundering, or have made so many mistakes and wrong turns that you may never figure out what that calling is, those feelings are false. Your sin and mistakes can never outweigh God’s good work. God made us; we are His workmanship, His masterpiece, and no amount of messing up on our part can change the perfection He has made.

The apostle Paul is the perfect example of this truth.  Look at all the time he spent learning the rules and regulations of Judaism. Then, he traveled throughout the Roman Empire persecuting early Christians. Paul was a murderer who terrorized Christians. Talk about mistakes and wrong turns!! This, however, was not God’s calling for Paul’s life.  Although it took him until around the age of forty to get in line with God’s calling, once he did, he was a force of truth for God! Not only did he bring countless people to Christ, he wrote almost half of the New Testament. 

The point is, no matter what we’ve done, or where we’ve gone wrong, God knew what would happen; he can and will use our lives for His purpose. We are His creation, and nothing we can do can change His calling for us; nothing.

READ and THINK…What does the Bible say?

 * Read the scripture and answer the question about that scripture below it.

1Timothy 1:12-13 (New Jerusalem Bible)

By calling me into his service, Jesus has judged me trustworthy, even though I used to be a blasphemer and a persecutor and contemptuous. Mercy, however, was shown me, because while I lacked faith, I acted in ignorance.

Question:  What does Paul say he was before following his calling? What did Jesus do for him?

Answer:

 

Romans 11:29 (New International Version)

God’s gifts and his calling are irrevocable.

Romans 11:29 (New Living Translation)

God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.

Question:  What words are used in these translations to describe God’s gifts and calling?

Answer:

 

LIVE…What will you do now?

In 1 Timothy 1:12-13, Paul says he acted out of ignorance because he lacked faith.  Describe a time when you feel you acted the same. How can having faith in God and His calling for your life change the way you act?

 

 

 

 

Take a moment to look up several different synonyms for the adjective “irrevocable” and the verb “withdrawn”. How do the many different, yet similar words help to reinforce the statement that your calling is permanent?

 

 

 

 

Have you ever felt that God wouldn’t call you to do anything because of the terrible things you have done? After reviewing today’s study, do you feel differently?

 

 

 

 

Through www.biblegateway.com or youversion.com on your phone or tablet, it is now very easy to look up various translations of the Bible. Rick Warren uses many Bible translations to clarify, reinforce and awaken his understanding of the scriptures. Just as we reviewed the terms “irrevocable” and “withdrawn” to see the many uses for these words, we can also look at the words used in scripture translations the same way. Many Bible scholars do the same. That’s why we have different Bible translations. The different words do not change the integrity of the scripture. Check out a few different translations for Romans 11:29 to see how the meaning is enriched. Different translation examples are:

- Contemporary English Version

- The Message

- English Standard Version

- Amplified Bible

 

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know and do?

Give praise to Father God for creating us with such purpose. Thank Him for caring enough to shape us as individuals for His good work and for giving us a calling that can never be changed or taken away.

What on Earth Am I Here For?

—Day 4 reading—

“Made to Last Forever”