Reflection: Intimacy: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. In what experience did you become lost or have truth twisted?

        2. How did you recognize and then turn to His grace?

        3. How can you keep a "firm grip on the truth" now?

        4. Do you have a warning signal for yourself to hold onto grace when lies come?

Share: What is one joy of intimacy with God that He has given you?

 

Reflection: Proclamation: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. What can pull us away from waiting on His words--either small or large?

        2. What promise had He given you that enables you to follow righteousness?

        3. How much do you seek His presence now?

Share: What is your special word of hope while waiting? 

Reflection:Conviction: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions 

        1. What is one day you have experienced that went upside-down in change or chaos, in joy or grief?

        2. How did you react immediately in your heart and then throughout the confusion?

        3. How did it change your faith's commitment?

Share: What vital foundation do you hold in your heart daily?

Reflection: Powerful: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. What is the foundation of your single day?

        2. Do you count quality by chronos (clock time) or kairos (live and experience opportunity time)? How and why do the differences engage and experience?

        3. Which gives you more perspective?

Share: When has something down late become a blessing?

Reflection: Floods: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. How often do our worries and failures shut our doors of hope?

        2. In what ways does our world ignore God's creations and leans us only in complaint and resentment.

        3. How can we pause and pray for clarity when any kind of flood comes?

Share: What is your trigger that warns you? 

Reflection: Mocked: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. Have you been mocked for your beliefs?

        2. How did that meddle for your thoughts and questions?

        3. What enabled you to stand on His truth?

Share: How would you share with another under attack?

Reflection: Return: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions 

        1. When have you walked away from God's grace either into a seemingly small lie or a chosen rejection?

        2. How long before recognizing that choice as a deep darkness that dissolved you?

        3. How did you seek His mercy again?

Share: What warning would you now give to another when you see their lure pulling them from truth?

Reflection: Actions: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. When have you experienced a 'dried up river bed' because of empty actions and attitudes that separated you from the Lord?

        2. What enabled you to recognize the dangerous choices and turn towards truth and light?

        3. How do you protect yourself now from lies and false desires?

Share: What is the first word you would give to someone seeking release too?

Reflection: Astray: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1.What lies have cost you to wander off His main road?

        2. How did you return?

        3. How do you keep a focus on following His path only now?

Share: What insight do you share with others being pulled into wrong pursuits?

Reflection: Lies: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. When have you been deceived by lies that led you to dismay and failures?

        2. How did the truth get twisted?

        3. What insight enabled you to recognize the danger?

Share: How do you filter potential lies now through the Lord's guidance?

Reflection: Grace: 1 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. What gift of His grace enabled you to stand on solid ground?

        2. How does that affect your encouragement to others?

        3. What enables you to be faith-filled in all circumstances? How can you share with others?

Share: What peace has He gifted you with this week?

Reflection: Resist: 1 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. In what areas of your life and your faith do you feel the weakest? Why?

        2. What trouble did you face for a long time? How did the Lord protect you through it?

        3. How do you respond now when a new attack hits you?

Share: What word of hope can you pass on to someone in difficult circumstances?

Reflection: 1 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. When have you poured out all your stress and fears to Him and then taken it back? Why?

        2. When have you poured out and then let go?

        3. In what ways have you received His tenderness by trusting in His timing? Whether long or short?

Share: How has receiving His tender mercy now enables you to face worries that attack?

Reflection: Hallowed: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. When you realized the Lord's offered gift of a personal relationship with Him how did you react emotionally?

        2. How does that wonder turn your heart and mind upside down?

        3. When, or why, does that sense of wonder become ordinary?

Share: What word or thought do you think could help us t remember to include a hallowed respect when we talk and pray with the Lord?

Dispute: Purpose: Prayers and Poetry

                   

                    Dispute

                    It is bewildering 

                    when loving

                    believers who

                    work together

                    bound in focus

                    wanting only to 

                    be committed to the Lord's

                    work and yet although each

                    beloved we

                    wonder why our

                    behavior becomes a

                    wrecking ball and we

                    build defining

                    worth now seen as a

                    battleground.

Psalm 18:41, "They cried for help, but there was none to save, Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them."

                    

                            

Reflection: Conflict: Purpose: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1. What feelings arise at Paul’s words that suffering and conflict will be expected regularly?

2. How can that change, or impact, your perspective and your faith?

3. How can you apply this point of view to a challenge you are currently facing, or have just come through?

4. What seems different now?

Share: Will that change your prayer focus next time suffering surfaces? In what way?

By Faith: Prayers and Poetry

Introduction Hebrews 11

In this season of Lent we take time to remember the love, faith, and sacrifice of Jesus as He fulfilled God’s promise of redemption. In Hebrews Chapter 11 we see a list of faithful believers in God’s word who, from the Old Testament onward, lived into the often invisible realm of faith. Some have several chapters written of their commitment to live by God’s word, and some are nameless. What does a life of faith look like? How do we live in its hope? What is God’s definition of hope and faith?

We often look for assurance every day of our lives, assurance that we are wanted, loved, appreciated. We desire a confirmation of our value, our work, and ourselves. Yet we are looking for assurance that can be seen. We hope—yes—but for a concrete response.

Faith calls us deeper. To conviction. To trust. To care with, or without, a smile in return. To labor without encouragement. To act in conviction of our beliefs and our hearts. To act the same in whether in solitude or company, in joy or despair. To act with expectation that the Holy Spirit will interact within and through us.

Sometimes it seems our faith is strong. Sometimes we only have faint glimpses of light. It takes time to take a firm root in us and we usually want to see results quicker, when we really need to go slower.

So this forty week study unfolds as seeds to consider as we revisit the experiences of those listed as living by faith in Hebrews. Mondays we will reflect on a scripture passage. Wednesdays consider meditative questions. Fridays respond with poetry.

Thank you for participating in our journey. Please share as you discover your own questions and insights, prose, and prayers.