How to Persevere as a Christian

Life Group Announcements 

1. We already have 8 people going to Mexico to build a house on May 17-19th. There is still room for you to join, and we are about $3,500 short of the $13,000 goal. More info go to OB1church.com

Life Group Questions 

1. NEW IDEA for practical growth: Feel free to alternate the leadership of the life group. People grow a lot when they know they will have to lead the group. Example: Tell them something like ” I would love for all of us to alternate who leads the life group conversations?” Let’s set a schedule of who leads for the next 4-6 weeks. I encourage you to take notes. Have a laptop ready to show them how to find the life group questions on our website.

Sermon Summary. We are learning about the 5 pillars/foundations of the Christian faith and they are the following: 1. Personal healthy Relationship with God; 2. The church is a family that we belong to not a building; 3.We need to grow and keep growing in every aspect of life and that begins with growing our faith. We are all growing and learning how to live life according to God.  Pillar #3 (GROWING)  has been the focus of the past 4 weeks and the teaching has been based on 2 Peter1:5-8. A growing Christian needs to add to their faith goodness (actions that are good), add knowledge of the Bible, add self-control to be able to say “yes” to the things of God and “no” to the temptations we all face, and to add PERSEVERANCE the topic we are talking about today.

1. Let’s read Galatians 6:9 and talk about the instruction, promise and the condition found in this verse.
2. Has anyone ever faced a period that you were thinking about giving up and take matters into their own hands but through the power of the Holy Spirit you were able to press through and saw the blessing of doing so afterward? If so, what was the circumstance, and how did you find the strength to persevere?
3. What is something that you feel it’s taking a long time for God to fulfill in your life? How can we help you?
4. Read Hebrews 11:8-9
   1. We, like Abraham, we walk by faith, not by sight. God promises to bless us but HE does not show us the full plan, or how far we are from receiving HIS blessing. Let’s talk about the fact that we are in control of obeying GOD, but God is in control of the blessing. We can control what we do but we have no control over HOW and WHEN GOD will bless us. Are we trying to control/ define the blessing and its timing?
   2. They lived in tents. There is a gap between when we start obeying and when God brings His blessings. In the gap, it can feel like we are being demoted (living in tents). Have you ever felt that way?

Bible verses Read Sunday

1. 2 Peter 1:5-8
2. Galatians 6:9
3. Hebrews 11:8-9