DISCIPLESHIP GROUP| DROPPING IT
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Discipleship Gen Group | DROPPING “IT”
Discipleship Gen Group | DROPPING “IT”
Thank you for being who you are
We ask your blessing on this class
we invite your presence in our discussion and our conversation
Give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of you
we ask that you flood our understanding with your light
so we can experience you God in a more real and profound way
during this time studying this morning
Intro
Been in Teaching Series called Growth
continue along those lines but move into a different aspect of growth
Our Topic to day is Dropping the “IT”
In Order for us to grow spiritually we need to drop IT
SO What exactly is the “it”
IT is anything that keeps you from being what God call you to be
anything from your past that you might be holding on to that can stop your growth
anything that causes your life as a believer Christ to become unfruitful
sometimes our Failures keep us from growing spiritually
People who have hurt us
mistakes that we’ve made
What are some things we hold on to that can stop us from growing?
TV Shows that you’ve been Watching (Football priority over time with God)
Movies, Videos on You tube
That person that did you wrong
sometimes we have something buried in our hearts that you didn’t know was there until something triggers it
Mom Upset about Aunt Betty actions after Uncle Les passing
Mom brought up incidents from her past that still hurt her Aunt Betty was the trigger.
She hung up the phone and refuses to speak to Aunt Betty still today
How many can admit you have also held onto hurts from your past?
the problem is that holding onto the past never moves you forward
IF you never drop your “IT” you may never grow
IF you never drop your “IT” you may never grow
Isaiah 43:18–19 (NASB 2020)
18 “Do not call to mind the former things, Or consider things of the past. 19 “Behold, I am going to do something new, Now it will spring up; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.
former things, or consider things of the past
former things, or consider things of the past
In context, when the text mentions the former things, scholars say Isaiah is talking about the Jewish history
exile in Babylon, or what led to that exile , the exit from Egypt and being in the wilderness
The enemies they had to conquer, rivers they had to cross
The Past can teach or illustrate but we can’t get stuck there.
What does the phrase I am going to do something new mean to you? In light of moving forward?
He is a God of the present and of the Future
Live in the present
God is not limited to what he’s done in the past
We have a responsibility to leave the past in the past
so how do we do that? how do we leave the past in the past?
To drop “IT” We Must Change our Focus
To drop “IT” We Must Change our Focus
Colossians 3:2 (NASB 2020)
2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.
It is possible to be a new creation in christ but your mind can be somewhere else
this is an exhortation from Paul teaching us to place your mind in the same place as your heart
Does this mean the we should never think about any Earthly things?
What we focus on should not be on the IT
See it through a heavenly lense or perspective.
Paul’s is saying change what you focus on
Proverbs 4:25-27 “25 Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. 26 Watch the path of your feet, And all your ways will be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or to the left; Turn your foot from evil.”
the proverbs text echo’s the same thing as the Colossians text
it is a reference to how you keep your heart guarded
You guard your heart by what you focus on
it is possible to be focused on heavenly things one day then the next day you focus on earthly things
what we need is a consitent focus on the things that are above
How do we continue the momentum of focus that we need to keep our past in the past?
To drop “IT” we must move forward with continuous momentum
To drop “IT” we must move forward with continuous momentum
Philippians 3:13–14 (NASB 2020)
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Do not regard myself as Taking Hold of it yet
Do not regard myself as Taking Hold of it yet
not where I need to be in Christ
Forgetting what lies behind
Forgetting what lies behind
We often refer to Forget what lies behind as leaving behind challenges and obstacles and negativity
but it also means leaving behind your success.
Dropping IT also applies to your successes
Press towards the goal
Press towards the goal
I love the athletic metaphor in this text to keep moving forward
has anyone ever did track and field?
you will never look back during a race
Paul compares being a new creation in Christ to being in a race
he says I press towards the goal that lies ahead
What is the goal that Paul is talking about? What do you consider the upward Call?
The Goal is Christ
knowing Christ even as Paul himself is known
the goal of knowing Christ as he knows us is how you maintain a consistent focus on moving forward and away from your IT
Your goal should never be
A higher degree Doctorate or Masters
or a Full collar or different clergy shirt
When your goal is knowing Christ you become consitent
To Drop “IT” we must trust God’s Direction
To Drop “IT” we must trust God’s Direction
1 Corinthians 13:12 (NASB 2020)
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known.
We See in a mirror dimly
We See in a mirror dimly
Corinth in Paul’s day was famous for its mirrors but the reflection was distorted
the gifts of the Spirit we have access to now
allows us to only see in part
We just can’t see all that God has for us
What does that mean to you knowing that we can’t fully know the direction God wants to take us?
We are going to have to trust God for direction because we only see and know in part
this is a faith walk
We can know the bible even in the original languages
we want but it still requires FAITH
Close summary
Close summary
To grow spiritually
we are responsible for Dropping whatever our IT is
we drop the IT by
What we focus on
What we focus on
Focus on things that are about not earthly things
We keep our focus
By making Knowing Christ our Goal
By making Knowing Christ our Goal
goal should never be set on material things
Trust God for his direction
Trust God for his direction
There is no 5 steps to a better life
we simply just have to trust God
because we can only see in part
and we only know in part
Thank you for your Word it is true and never a lie
thank you for your spirit it leads us into all truth
help us God o hid this word in our hearts
that we may not sin against you