Mark 4:23-24
“If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear!” And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.”
Connect Group:
WELCOME
Welcome: Welcome each group member.
Icebreaker: Choose one of the following topics and discuss it:
a) Have you ever believed a lie that sounded very convincing, just as the serpent deceived Eve with his craftiness? How did you find out it was untrue?
b) If you are in a noisy room, how difficult is it for you to hear someone’s whisper? Talk about a time when you literally or figuratively had to seek out silence to really hear or find rest.
WORD
Prayer: Open with prayer. (Give everyone an opportunity)
Read: CORE TEXTS FOR TODAY:
Colossians 3:1-2:
Since you have been raised from the dead with Christ, you must strive for the things above where Christ is, where He sits at the right hand of God. Let your thoughts be controlled by heavenly things, not by things on the earth.
1 Kings 19:11-12:
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a whisper in the stillness.
John 10:27:
My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your thoughts with whatever is true, honourable, clean, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy.
Discuss the following in your Connect Group:
This week we look further into “Calibrate” and the voices we listen to. Paul is afraid that our minds will be led astray from our sincere devotion to Christ, just as the serpent deceived Eve (2 Cor 11:3). The enemy, who is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44), wants us to doubt God’s word. Sometimes we find ourselves in fear or circumstances that feel to us like a fierce wind, earthquake, or fire, just like Elijah who fled for his life (1 Kings 19:2-3, 11). Yet God was not in those things, but in a whisper in the stillness (1 Kings 19:12). To be able to listen to this whisper and follow Jesus’ voice (John 10:27), we must be dependent on God and resist the devil (James 4:7). We calibrate ourselves through the Spirit of truth, who stays with us (John 14:17).
Read Today’s texts again and discuss them:
a) In 1 Kings 19, Elijah had to learn that God speaks in a whisper, rather than through a storm, earthquake, or fire. What do you think are the noisy “winds, earthquakes, and fires” in today’s life that make it difficult for us to hear God’s quiet voice?
b) Philippians 4:8-9 encourages us to fill our minds with everything true, honorable, clean, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy. How does this help us to fight the lies of the devil (John 8:44) and align ourselves with heavenly things (Col 3:2)?
WORSHIP & WORKS
Worship – https://woordenlewe.com/connect-worship/ Make time to worship God today. Use the playlist on our Woord en Lewe website under Connect or use the worship from Sunday’s service.
WORKS: APPLICATION and QUESTIONS
Now take Communion together as a Connect Group:
Love for God, Love for People. As a Connect Group, spend about 5 minutes in silence before you adjourn, and let each member answer the questions below for themselves. Create a peaceful atmosphere and allow the Lord to speak to each one individually.