Surrender. Share. Serve.
Shore Fellowship
JOE JACOBSON
AND A SERIES OF
UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
WEEK 4 - Pastor Tim - Out of the Pit
Understanding Ourselves
We opened up this series asking the question - How would you live differently if you were convinced that God was with you? After 4 weeks, how would you answer that question? How do you imagine the next 24 hours would look if you were constantly conscious of that fact? What would be different?
If we have given our lives to Christ, He is with us. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us...even when we find ourselves in a “pit”. But sometimes we’re so used to pit living that we forget we’re even in a pit, we’ve convinced ourselves that our “pit” is normal. If those closest to you felt the freedom to be honest, what insights would they share about your pit?
Other times we do recognize our own pitiful situation. Have you ever been in so deep that you knew if Someone didn’t come along - you’d be sunk? How did you rise above that situation?
Eternal
Understanding God
Desperate times call for desperate measures - or so the saying goes. As followers of Christ, in desperate times we must remember we can always opt for God. Read Psalm 40:1-3. Why do you imagine God responds to cries of desperation?
It has been said that too often Christians think they can be marginally plugged in yet they expect a mammoth response from God. Have you noticed this too? Share your thoughts.
Take a couple minutes and Read Psalm 116. Which phrases indicate to you that this author was more than marginally invested in His God? What benefits did he experience as a result?
To experience deliverance from our pit we not only have to cry out for help, we must also confess that God might just be using this experience to teach us something. True confession involves coming to terms with the truth about our situation. Read Psalm 145:18 - According to this verse to whom is God near?
Isaiah 38:17 teaches us something remarkable about the way God handles our sin when we give it to Him. Share your thoughts about this powerful insight.
External
Understanding Others
When we find ourselves in a pit of desperation - depression is never too far away. If you’re given to this emotional state you must be on guard because depression can be debilitating. What are some of the warning signs that one might be going down the path of depression?
In ancient times people often tore or rent their clothing as an outward sign of utter despair. It indicated that they had lost all hope. In Genesis 37 two individuals tore their clothes out of desperation - who were they and why were they despairing?
Leviticus 21:10 tells us God commanded that priests should never tear their clothes. Why do you imagine He gave that command to the priests?
What responsibility do we bear to those who watch our lives? According to Colossians 1:27 - why should we never “tear our clothes”?
For Further Thought:
Conviction is a hand delivered invitation to meet with God. Confession is our RSVP.
*If you or your home group happen to benefit from these studies we'd like to hear from you. Send your comments to info@shorefellowship.com