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Overview
In Living a Life of Worship, the fourth study in theJesus Calling Bible Study Series, you will discover how thankfulness and worship always open the door for entering into God’s presence and blessings. Even the most routine part of your day can be a spiritual act of worship when you are living close to God, and seeing from His perspective will allow you to truly be able to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Each of the Jesus Calling Bible Studies include devotional readings from Jesus Calling, selected passages of Scripture for reflection, Bible Study questions, and additional questions and activities to help you apply and live out the material during the week. This study can be used for personal reflection and Bible study or in a small-group setting.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780718035884 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | HarperChristian Resources |
| Publication date: | 07/28/2015 |
| Series: | Jesus Calling Bible Studies |
| Pages: | 144 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d) |
About the Author
Connect with Jesus Calling at:
Facebook.com/Jesus Calling
Instagram.com/Jesus Calling
You Tube.com/Jesus Calling Book
Pinterest.com/Jesus Calling
Karen Lee-Thorp was a senior editor at Nav Press for many years and series editor for the Life Change Bible study series. She is now a freelance writer living in Brea, California, with her husband, Greg Herr, and their daughters, Megan and Marissa.
Read an Excerpt
Living a Life of Worship
By Sarah Young, Karen Lee-Thorp
Thomas Nelson
Copyright © 2015 Sarah YoungAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7180-3588-4
CHAPTER 1
SESSION 1
A Life of Rejoicing
Consider It
Worship is not just something we do for an hour a week at church. It is something God invites us to do all day long as we go through our lives at home, at work, alone, and with anyone we encounter. The more aware we are of God, the more worship threads itself through the fabric of our lives. There are a number of habits that make up all-day worship, and in this first session we will look at the habit of rejoicing. In particular, what is rejoicing, and how do we weave it into our lives?
1. When you were growing up, what role (if any) did rejoicing in God or life play in your family? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Experience IT
"Come to Me with a thankful heart, so that you can enjoy My Presence. This is the day that I have made. I want you to rejoice today, refusing to worry about tomorrow. Search for all that I have prepared for you, anticipating abundant blessings and accepting difficulties as they come. I can weave miracles into the most mundane day if you keep your focus on Me. Come to Me with all your needs, knowing that My glorious riches are a more-than-adequate supply. Stay in continual communication with Me, so that you can live above your circumstances even while you are in the midst of them. Present your requests to Me with thanksgiving, and My Peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your heart and mind."
—From Jesus Calling, January 17
2. What reasons do we have for rejoicing today? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
3. What does rejoicing look like for you? What actions, words, and attitudes does it involve? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
"Rejoice in Me always! No matter what is going on, you can rejoice in your Love-relationship with Me. This is the secret of being content in all circumstances. So many people dream of the day when they will finally be happy: when they are out of debt, when their children are out of trouble, when they have more leisure time, and so on. While they daydream, their moments are trickling into the ground like precious balm spilling wastefully from overturned bottles. Fantasizing about future happiness will never bring fulfillment, because fantasy is unreality. Even though I am invisible, I am far more Real than the world you see around you. My reality is eternal and unchanging. Bring your moments to Me, and I will fill them with vibrant Joy. Now is the time to rejoice in My Presence!"
—From Jesus Calling, September 11
4. Why should we rejoice in our relationship with Jesus? What reasons can you think of? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
5. Why is rejoicing in Jesus better than dreaming of the day when we will be happy? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Study it
Read aloud the following passage from Philippians 4:4–9. In these verses, the apostle Paul gives wise counsel to a community of believers in the city of Philippi. Paul is writing from prison, and his Philippian readers have also been through difficult circumstances, including discrimination from their neighbors because of their faith.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
6. What does it mean to rejoice "in the Lord"? How is that different from just positive thinking or having an upbeat mood? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
7. Anxiety can make it hard for us to rejoice. What alternative to anxiety does Paul advise us to practice? Why is Paul's advice more effective than worry? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
8. How does filling your mind with what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable help to foster joy? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
9. When you think about what Paul tells us to fill our minds with, what are the implications for the things we choose to watch on television and the Internet, the games we play, the music we listen to, and the other media we consume? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
10. Read the passage aloud again. Take two minutes of silence to reread the passage, looking for a sentence, phrase, or even one word that stands out as something Jesus wants you to hear. Ask Him to help you hear Him. If you're meeting with a group, the leader will keep track of time. At the end of two minutes, you may share with the group the word or phrase that came to you in the silence. __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
11. Read the passage aloud again. Take two minutes of silence, asking Jesus what He is saying to you through the word or phrase you selected and whether He would like you to do anything in response. If you're meeting with a group, the leader will again keep track of time. At the end of two minutes, you may share with the group what came to you in the silence if you wish. __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
12. What was it like for you to sit in silence with the passage? Did soaking in the passage like this help you take it in better than before? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
13. If you're meeting with a group, how can the members pray for you? If you're using this study on your own, what would you like to say to God right now? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Live It
At the end of each session you'll find suggested Scripture readings for spending time alone with God during five days of the coming week. Each day of this week's readings deal with the theme of rejoicing. Read the passage slowly, pausing to think about what is being said. Rather than approaching this as an assignment to complete, think of it as an opportunity to meet with a Person. Use any of the questions that are helpful.
Day 1
Read Habakkuk 3:17–18. How does Habakkuk describe his circumstances? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
What would be some parallel circumstances you might face? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
How do you think it's possible for Habakkuk to rejoice in the Lord given the circumstances he is facing? If things are this bad, in what sense is God his Savior? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
How easy is it for you to have Habakkuk's attitude? Why? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Spend some time rejoicing in the Lord.
Day 2
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18. Here again we have the connection between rejoicing, praying continually, and giving thanks. Why is rejoicing an essential element of prayer? How is it linked to gratitude? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
For what can you give thanks today? What do you want to ask from God? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
How can you rejoice in Him even as you ask Him for what you need and thank Him for caring for you? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Day 3
Read Psalm 5:11–12. What does the psalmist ask for? How will that lead to joy? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
What blessings has the Lord given you? How is He protecting you? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
What protection do you need from God today? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Go to the Lord with gladness and express your needs to Him. How can you rejoice in Him today? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Day 4
Read Psalm 13:1–6. What emotions does the psalmist express in verses 1–3? What does he ask for? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
In the midst of these emotions and requests, the psalmist says, "My heart rejoices in your salvation." How is it possible for him to rejoice in his salvation in the midst of his needs and questions? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
How can you rejoice in your salvation in the midst of your needs and questions? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
What are your questions? What are your needs? Can you say, like the psalmist, "he has been good to me"? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Express your needs and questions to the Lord in the context of rejoicing in your salvation.
Day 5
Read Psalm 16:5–11. What does it mean to say the Lord is your "portion"? How is He the cup you have been given to drink? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
What is the inheritance from the Lord that every Christian can delight in? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Why does the psalmist rejoice? Can you rejoice for the same reasons? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Praise God for the eternal pleasures you have already begun to experience with Him and will experience even more in the future.
CHAPTER 2SESSION 2
A Life of Thankfulness
Consider It
"The Lord is near" (Philippians 4:5). That alone is reason for us to rejoice! And closely linked to joy is gratitude. These are states of mind we can choose to cultivate by choosing what we think about, dwell on, and fill our heads with. We are not slaves of circumstance. No matter what is happening around us, we can decide to take on thankfulness as a practice that strengthens our souls. In this session we'll look at reasons for thankfulness as well as its results.
1. Name three things you are thankful for. How easy was it for you to think of these three? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Experience it
"Thankfulness opens the door to My Presence. Though I am always with you, I have gone to great measures to preserve your freedom of choice. I have placed a door between you and Me, and I have empowered you to open or close that door. There are many ways to open it, but a grateful attitude is one of the most effective. Thankfulness is built on a substructure of trust. When thankful words stick in your throat, you need to check up on your foundation of trust. When thankfulness flows freely from your heart and lips, let your gratitude draw you closer to Me. I want you to learn the art of giving thanks in all circumstances. See how many times you can thank Me daily; this will awaken your awareness to a multitude of blessings. It will also cushion the impact of trials when they come against you. Practice My Presence by practicing the discipline of thankfulness."
—From Jesus Calling, July 24
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Living a Life of Worship by Sarah Young, Karen Lee-Thorp. Copyright © 2015 Sarah Young. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Introduction vii
Session 1 A Life of Rejoicing Philippians 4:4-9 1
Session 2 A Life of Thankfulness Luke 17:11-19 15
Session 3 A Life of Confession and Forgiveness Psalm 32:1-5; 1 John 1:8-9 29
Session 4 A Life Free From Idols Exodus 20:2-5; Matthew 6:24 45
Session 5 A Life of Seeking God's Thoughts Isaiah 55:6-11 59
Session 6 A Life Close to God John 15:1-9 73
Session 7 A Life of the Beauty of Holiness Psalm 96:1-13 87
Session 8 A Life of Tender Passion John 12:1-8 101
Leader's Notes 115