My Journal - Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God
Small Group JournalReflections on 30 Life Principles
July 2012 – December 2013
(Part 1: LP 1 – 10)
Name of member: ______
Group Leader: ______PAGE: ___
Why Meeting with God is important
In our intentional discipleship journey as a church, we have embarked on the twin tracks of building our devotional life with God and developing truth-based, accountable relationships with fellow believers.
How do we build our own personal devotional life? It involves intentionally engaging solo in the kind of activities that strengthen your ability to know and follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit all day every day. It involves accurately hearing the voice of God’s Spirit above all the other voices. It involves your carrying out the various roles in life in God’s way because you are sensing the leading of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, devotional life can become a meaningless religious routine. A growing devotional life is evident when you begin to think and act more and more like Christ. Your devotion should centre on INTERACTION with the Bible, not just on READING it.The goal of devotional time is to process the words of Scripture, ponder their meaning and their implication in your life and relationships, and then to obey them.Use this journal to record the significant thing that you observe or encounter in your reading and reflection. Writespecifically what it means to you. Enter the date as well. The length of your entry is not important.
A second important element of your devotional life is prayer. Two purposes of prayer: One is to ask God for the things you need to live as Hewants you to live. We can expect to receive only what we ask for. God gives in response to whatwe ask for and what harmonizes with His plan for us. The second purpose of prayer is that itis a means of God changing us. As we articulate needs and feelings to God, His Spirit interacts with our own mental processes and leads us to conclusions that we would never have arrived at on ourown. Often, if we pray thoughtfully, God answers us through the prayer itself. We finish ourprayer knowing exactly what we need to do.
How do we develop truth-based, accountable relationships? In your 18-month journey with your small group, many opportunities will be there for you to share important personal thoughts,reflections and truths from the Word recorded in your journal; and to be held accountable and challenged by one another to grow spiritually as you seek to obey. Do not waste this precious 18 months together. Be an active part of your small group. Invest your life in each other and see how God will enrich you and make you a blessing to each other and those not yet in His family.
The Small Group Forum
Every Small Group of 10-12 can provide a platform for small group forums to take place. A Small Group Forum consists of preferably 4-6 men or women, with a leader facilitating the discussion. This is to create a safe environment in which the different gender can relate with one another on a deeper level. Hence, every Small Group can have 2 or even 3 forums taking place at the same time during the sharing segment of their SG meeting.
1st Set up Session @ 1st SG Meeting
Ice-Breaker: Organize one for the 1st SG meeting to help everyone in the Small Group to get to know something of everyone else. Take down members’ name, address, contact no, email address, birth date, places lived, hobbies, interest, employment, etc.
At the 1st SG Meeting, set homework for 2nd SG meeting: members to complete the Spiritual Journey Timeline (see page 6). Share about how SG Forums will be done in your SG meeting.
2nd Set up Session @ 2nd SG Meeting
Spiritual Journey Timeline: Give everyone a turn to share at the SG meeting. Anyone who did not have an opportunity to share may do so in subsequent SG meetings before breaking up for SG Forums.
Small Group Meeting Time (suggested format)
Group Worship: 5-10 mins – Choose 2-3 songs beforehand (all SG members)
SG Forum Time:
- Exploration: 30 mins – ShareDay 6 summary of lessons from devotional passages (in SG Forums)
- Application:30 mins – Share responses to questions from 30-Life Principles
- Summary: 5 mins – By leader in the SG Forum
- Intercession: 15 mins – Praying for one another in the SG Forum
Group Fellowship: 15 - 30 mins
Preparing to Share at Small Group Forum
Your Small Group Journal
Your Small Group Journal gives you 5 days of Devotional Readings each week prior to the Small Group meeting. The readings are taken from the passages referred to in each Life Principle of Charles Stanley’s Study Guide. Hence there will be 30 weeks of devotional readings to accompany the 30 Life Principles in this Study. The purpose of this journal is to encourage members to build a regular habit of personal devotion.
Small Group meets fortnightly (twice a month). Here’s how to use the journal and study guide:
Week 1: Do the 5-day devotional readings daily and journal your thoughts. Summarize what God is speaking to you in your week’s devotion on Day 6.
Week 2:Go through the Life Principle lesson in your study guide. Come together at the Small Group meeting and in your Small Group Forum, share both from your devotional readings and the Life Principle lesson.
Week 3: Do the 5-day devotional readings daily (as above).
Week 4: Prepare for the Small Group meeting (as above).
Ground Rules for Small Group Forum
-Make attendance to fortnightly meeting a priority. Be punctual.
-Complete the assignment for the week and be ready to share.
-Hold in confidence the personal matters shared in the group.
My Small Group Members
Name / Tel Nos: Home/MobileEmail Address / Some background (birth date, interests, employment, etc
My Spiritual Journey Timeline
Encouraging EventsChallenging Events
Childhood
Teenage Years
Adult Years
Life Principle 1: Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives
Introduction: Read “Life’s Questions” of Life Principle 1 on page 3
Day 1
READ: Genesis 1: 1-28
RECORD what it says
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“So God created man in his own image,in the image of God he created him;male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
Life Principle 1: Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives
Day 2
READ: Psalm 139: 1-17
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“For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful,I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13&14
Life Principle 1: Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives
Day 3
READ: John 15: 5-17
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“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Life Principle 1: Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives
Day 4
READ: Ephesians 1: 3-10
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“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In lovehe predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” Ephesians 1:4-5
Life Principle 1: Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives
Day 5
READ: Genesis 3: 1-19, 1 Corinthians 15: 20-22
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“For in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:22
Life Principle 1: Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives
Day 6
Reflect and SUMMARISE – What God is speaking to you through day 1 to 5?
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APPLICATION – What is one thing God is telling you to do?
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INTERCESSION – How can your small group support you in prayer?
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Life Principle 2: Obey God and leave all consequences to Him.
Introduction: Read “Life’s Questions” of Life Principle 2 on page 8
Day 1
READ: Proverbs 3: 1-12
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“Trust in the Lord with all your heartand lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:56
Life Principle 2: Obey God and leave all consequences to Him.
Day 2
READ: Psalm 37: 1-9
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“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret… but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.” Psalm 37: 7a, 9b
Life Principle 2: Obey God and leave all consequences to Him.
Day 3
READ: Matt 6: 25-34
RECORD AND REVIEWwhat it says
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“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you.” Matthew 6:33
Life Principle 2: Obey God and leave all consequences to Him.
Day 4
READ: Psalm 27: 1- 14
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“The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1
Life Principle 2: Obey God and leave all consequences to Him.
Day 5
READ: Matthew 5: 11, 12; Hebrews 11:23-40
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“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…” Matthew 5: 11, 12
Life Principle 2: Obey God and leave all consequences to Him.
Day 6
Reflect and SUMMARISE – What God is speaking to you through day 1 to 5?
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APPLICATION – What is one thing God is telling you to do?
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INTERCESSION – How can your small group support you in prayer?
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Life Principle 3: God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
Introduction: Read “Life’s Questions” of Life Principle 3 on page 13
Day 1
READ: Hebrews 6: 13-20
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“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19a
Life Principle 3: God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
Day 2
READ: Numbers 22: 1-20 (cf. Genesis 12:1-2; 22:15-18)
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But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed. ” Numbers 22:12
But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me. ” Numbers 22:18-19
Life Principle 3: God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
Day 3
READ: Numbers 23: 11-26
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“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19
Life Principle 3: God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm
Day 4
READ: Joshua 24:2-15
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“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15b
Life Principle 3: God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
Day 5
READ: Isaiah 55:1-11
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“As the rain and the snowcome down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earthand making it bud and flourish,so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,so is my word that goes out from my mouth:It will not return to me empty,but will accomplish what I desireand achieve the purpose for which I sent it” Isaiah 55:10-11
Life Principle 3: God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm
Day 6
Reflect and SUMMARISE – What God is speaking to you through day 1 to 5?
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APPLICATION – What is one thing God is telling you to do?
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INTERCESSION – How can your small group support you in prayer?
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Life Principle 4: The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
Day 1
READ: Deuteronomy 11: 1-15
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“So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul – then I will send rain on your land in its season… ” Deuteronomy 11:13, 14a
Life Principle 4: The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
Day 2
READ: Genesis 39
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“The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master… … while Joseph was there in the prison,the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” Genesis 39: 2, 20b & 21
Life Principle 4: The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
Day 3
READ: Colossians 3:15-24
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“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:2324
Life Principle 4: The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
Introduction: Read “Life’s Questions” of Life Principle 4 on page 18
Day 4
READ: Philippians 2: 1-11
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“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Philippians 2:5-7
Life Principle 4: The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
Day 5
READ: 1 Corinthians 3:5-15; Galatians 6: 7-10
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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6: 9
Life Principle 4: The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
Day 6
Reflect and SUMMARISE – What God is speaking to you through day 1 to 5?
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APPLICATION – What is one thing God is telling you to do?
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INTERCESSION – How can your small group support you in prayer?
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Life Principle 5: God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
Introduction: Read “Life’s Questions” of Life Principle 5 on page 23
Day 1
READ: Joshua 3, 4
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And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.” Joshua 3:7
“Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,the water from upstream stopped flowing.” Joshua 3: 15-16a
Life Principle 5: God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
Day 2
READ: Psalm 119: 137-144
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“You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are right. The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.” Psalm 119: 137, 138
Life Principle 5: God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
Day 3
READ: Joshua 6: 1-20
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“March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.” Joshua 6:3
“When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.” Joshua 6:20
Life Principle 5: God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
Day 4
READ: Psalms 119:145-152
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“I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord, and I will obey your decrees.” Psalms 119:145
Life Principle 5: God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
Day 5
READ: John 14: 15-27
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