ICEBREAKERS
Make sure to start off with prayer. Then choose one or more questions to open up with.
- What do you love about Fall?
- Describe your perfect weekend.
Message Review
Main points and scriptures from this week's message.
Somewhere around 1400 BC the now famous story called the Exodus took place in the land of Egypt, and we are going to cover some verses that provide a snapshot of God preparing his people/leaders of his people to make some choices that they had never made before.
Deuteronomy 30:19–20 (NIV)
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
POINT 1: God’s presence is unconditional.
Joshua 1:7,8 (NIV)
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
POINT 2: God’s presence is unconditional, but his promises are optional.
God is saying I will be with you no matter what, but if you want to get to your destiny, to the life I have called you to live and experience then you have to make choices that will get you there.
POINT 3: Better Choices = Better Life
This is not just about the big, life and death choices. I am talking about the small and daily decisions that determine your future. Like I said last week, "You cant pray your way out of what you choose your way into.”
POINT 4: Your past choice is not your last choice.
You may not have gotten right before. Maybe even this morning your choices were not good, but what matters now is what choices you make next.
POINT 5: The easy choice is not usually the better choice, but the better choice today creates a better future tomorrow.
There is an example from Exodus 18, where Moses had to make the decision to not be the only source of support for his people. Up to that point he would wake up and go to the town square and sit and be judge and counselor for everyone until sunset. This was his usual routine and the easy choice, but after receiving some wisdom from his father-in-law, Moses decided to change his routine and go with the hard decision of finding capable men to help him carry the burden. It would have been easier to just show up and continue doing what he was doing, but the easiest choice is not usually the best choice.
Message Discussion Questions
The following questions will help guide your discussions and give your group some opportunities to open up and share.
- Is there an area of your life where you want different results? (Finances, health, relationships, habits, etc)
- Do you view God's presence as being unconditional? Or do you at times feel like you have to earn it?
- What are some examples of God's promises that are conditional/optional?
- Have you ever felt like you were defined by your past choices?
- Moses had to change his normal routine in order to help more people. Is there anything in your normal routine that needs to change in order to move your life forward?
Live It Out
Encourage your group to start doing. Commit to a step, and live it out this week.
- On paper finish this sentence: In five years I will be ____________. Basically write down what you want your life to look like in five years. Then write down at least five choices you need to make in order to get to the future you desire.
- Serve together as a group. Every month we have serving opportunities with Champions Foundation. To view the calendar of events click HERE
- Make a choice to get plugged in and planted as a member of Champions Centre. Come to Starting Point this Sunday at 10AM.
Closing Thoughts
- Finish group with prayer requests and praise reports.
- More resources always available here: Small Group Resources