INTRO: To what extent is the following moral principle true: “without justice, true peace is unattainable”? Briefly Share
READ:
1 Timothy 1:12-14 (NLT)
DISCUSS:
A musician/peace activist from Bogotá, Colombia, created the escopetarra. César López combined a gun with a guitar, creating an instrument of peace from mankind’s worst and most beautiful inventions.
1 Timothy 1:5-7 (NIV)
a. What distracts today’s Christians from the Good News of the Gospel, Jesus Christ?
b. How can we be “instruments of peace” that point people to Christ during times of confusion, pain, chaos, and fear?In Acts 26, Paul gives his testimony of how he came to know the Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. He speaks of his life before Christ; what prompted the visible change in his life, and what happened after the change.
a. Has the Lord ever guided you to write and publicly present your testimony?
i. If yes, how did you feel about the experience?
ii. If not, consider praying and meditating on God’s word for guidance and boldness. What has Christ done for you?
b. Who gains from sharing a testimony?Acts 26:12-16
a. Have you ever found the need to utter: “Who are you, Lord?”
b. What were the circumstances? Was God trying to shift your mentality or actions from a destructive nature to one of peace and prosperity?As People of the Way, made alive in Christ, we are called to live by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). What makes acts of mercy so difficult?
PRAY:
Dear Heavenly Father, remind me that my trust in you brings blessings. I can be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream, and not fearing when heat comes. My leaves remain green; I am not anxious in the year of drought. I will continue to bear fruit. [Jeremiah 17:7-8]
SHARE & PRAY:
Share one thing you need prayer for today…
· Take time to pray for one person at a time.
· Invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
· Listen to the Lord for guidance in how to in how to pray for one another.
…and then pray….