Happy ReNew Year II...

This Sunday was great. Praise team was bringin’ it as always and folks were worshiping The God of Heaven in spirit and truth (John 4:24). In our teaching time was focused on spiritual disciplines as we spent a second week in a 2 part message entitled Happy ReNew Year – be transformed by the renewal of your mind - Romans 12:2.

Small groups didn’t meet with it being a holiday weekend, but it was so cool, and encouraging to me to see so many people hanging out and visiting with one another well after the service was over…gotta love that GBF family!

Here are some notes from Sunday’s message:

1 Tim 4:7-8 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

There are things that the scripture refer to as “silly myths” that we are to “Have nothing to do with”. (See also Psalm 101:3)

Then there are also some thing that are “of some value”. But these things are no substitute for “godliness” which has “value in every way” in the here and now AND in the life to come.

Spiritual disciplines are a great way for us to train ourselves for this valuable godliness available to us.

The Word of God, the Bible is the hub for our spiritual disciplines, we outlined a few ways that we could make use of it.

WEEKLY IN CHURCH – Hebrew 10:24-25

• singing and praising (EPHESIANS 5:1)
• preaching and teaching (2 Timothy 4:2-5)
• Community Groups & Lifeline (Col 3:16)

DAILY QUANTITY OF TIME IN THE WORD – 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20, Matthew 4:4

DAILY QUALITY OF TIME IN THE WORD – Psalm 119:15

MEMORIZE THE WORD GOD- Psalm 119:11

Suggested verses for memorization, maybe one a quarter this year:

1 John 5:11-12

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

John 16:24

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Also, we handed out these ten questions to ask at the start of the New Year:

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?