Category: Small groups

Apparently It’s A Virtue: Patience in Tribulation

New Testament Passage

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²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. ²⁴ From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶ in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷ in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— ²⁸ besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

2 Corinthians 11:22-28

Question

It is astonishing that St Paul could recount all his tribulation and then say that his concern for the church was greater. When we are in tribulation, how can we give our suffering to God, even if it is not service, but work or school?

Lightly Salted: Part 1

New Testament Passage

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¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16

Question

Why did the Lord call His followers the “light” and “salt” of the Earth? What implications should this have on our lives?

A Place of Rest: Spending Time with God

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Lord You know that we love You and sincerely want to grow closer to You and spend time with You, but get so easily distracted. Like a silly sheep, our mind wanders, and find our thoughts far from You.

Do not let the enemy – the devil – overwhelm us with excessive hope, but alert our minds and awaken our hearts from the sleep of inattention and wasting our lifetime in vain.
May we be consumed by Your almighty presence above all worldly pleasures, desire and distractions so that we may live united with You in the Spirit. Glory be to Your Name forevermore, Amen.

A Place of Rest: Spending Time with God

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Why not take from the Lord His own promises? Before the next meeting, instead of promising God you will change yourself for the better, take a promise from Him in your prayers, that He will change you for the better

A Place of Rest: Spending Time with God

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“It is amazing how many people prefer service more than prayer. And reading more than prayer. And contemplation more than prayer. And attending religious gatherings more than prayer. That is why they fail in their relationship with God. They therefore meditate, read, have a service and attend their meetings, but are separated from God. There is no relationship.”

H.H Pope Shenouda III

“Ask with tears, seek with obedience, knock with patience. For thus he who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him that knocks it shall be opened.”

St. John Climacus

A Place of Rest: Spending Time with God

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New Testament Passages

“And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. ³² So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.”

Mark 6:31-32

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

² So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
³ Give us day by day our daily bread.
⁴ And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”

And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; ⁶ for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; ⁷ and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? ⁸ I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

⁹ “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Luke 11:1-13

Old Testament Passage

“Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the Lord went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp. ⁸ So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle. ⁹ And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. ¹⁰ All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door. ¹¹ So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.”

Exodus 33:7-11

Be Humble, or you’ll stumble

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Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

For so long I have looked to myself. I have wallowed in self-pity and rejoiced in vain glory alike. Help me to redirect my eyes upon You, O Lord, the giver of all good things. Help me to see Your hand in everything I say and do.

Help me to empty myself of all that I am proud of, and of all that I am ashamed of. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow, for I know that only then can I be filled with You. Break every source of pride that resides within me so that I can be healed in You.

Do not disregard a humble heart that pleads for your mercy and compassion. I come to you broken and in need, do not allow me to be consumed by my pride any longer. Draw near to me so that I may praise You all the days of my life.

Glory be to Your holy and blessed Name, now and forevermore, Amen.

Be Humble, or you’ll stumble

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Challenge

This month, let me make an effort to guard against using expressions of humility that may lead me to pride. Instead, my focus will be on praising those around me.

Be Humble, or you’ll stumble

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focus quote

If you would be simple-hearted like the Apostles, would not conceal your human shortcomings, would not pretend to be especially pious, if you would walk free from hypocrisy, then that is the path. While it is easy, not everyone can find it or understand it. This path is the shortest way to salvation and attracts the grace of God. Unpretentiousness, guilelessness, frankness of soul – this is what is pleasing to the Lord, Who is lowly of heart. Except ye become like children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God (Matt. 18:13).”

Elder Leonid of Optina

“If you deprecate yourself in order to be honored, the Lord will expose you… And if you censure yourself aiming at truth, the Lord will make his creatures open in front of you the door of his glory of which He speaks from eternity, and they would glorify you and glorify the Creator, because in truth you would be to His image and His resemblance.”

Saint Isaac the Syrian

Be Humble, or you’ll stumble

New Testament Passage

But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. – Matthew 15:27-28

Discussion Questions

1. Using the passage as a guide, what are some differences between humility and self-depreciation? Hint: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less” – Clive Staples Lewis
2. “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise Than for a man to hear the song of fools.” Eccl. 7:5 – What are some practical steps to receiving rebuke constructively?

Old Testament Passage

“Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.

So the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” So Saul eyed David from that day forward.” – 1 Samuel 17:45-47, 18:7-9.

Discussion Questions

1. Compare qualities displayed by David and Saul in the passage. What did David have that Saul lacked?
2. What are the consequences of not having humility?
3. It was once said that as soon as you start thinking you are humble, you have lost it. What practical steps then, can we take to grow and nurture the fruit of humility?