WHY - Why does God get so angry

Read Exodus 3-4:17, the well-known story of Moses and the Burning Bush. In verse 14 it tells us, “Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses….” Why was the Lord so angry with Moses? Do you make excuses when the Lord wants you to do something? If you make excuses, do you think this causes God to get angry? Why or why not? 

What is meant by the term righteous anger? Can righteous anger be a good thing? Can it ever be a bad thing? What causes the difference? 

Frequently in Scripture we are told that the Lord is slow to become angry. How about you….are you slow to become angry? How would this be beneficial? How can you help bring that about in yourself? 

Can you think of an instance where Jesus got angry, other than the one covered in the message on Sunday? What caused Him to get so angry?  Was it righteous anger? Is it hard for you to imagine Jesus getting angry? Why, or why not?

Do you, or does someone you know, have anger management problems? If so, we encourage you to seek help. We’ll be glad to assist you. Call the church office and let us know so that we can help you. 

Filling The Void - Our Need For Community - Part 2

If you have ever been a part of a small group, what were the positives of the experience? If you are not in one now, what would it take for you to be a part of a group, to realize those positives again?

If you’ve never been a part of a small group, is it because there are things about a small group experience that you don’t think you would like? If so, what are they? Maybe what you think a small group would be like and the actual experience are different. Are you willing to give it a try? 

Can you find three examples of small groups in Scripture?

Why is it important for small groups to multiply? What does it take for this to happen?

GroupLink is the way Connection Church is going to help people link up with a small group. If you’re not a part of a small group, what would it take to get you to come to GroupLink on Saturday, February 21^st at 6:00? 

Filling The Void - Our Need For Community - Part 1

Do you know the names of the people living around you? Do you know their stories? What would it take to make where you live more of a “community” for you, rather than just a neighborhood?

Have you ever lived in one place for a long time and then moved to a new place? What was the hardest part of leaving the old place? What was your greatest challenge about the new place?

Other than your spouse or another family member, who do you turn to when you have really good news to share? Who do you turn to when you have really bad news to share? Who turns to YOU when either of those situations occur? If your answer to the above questions was “no one,” it might be healthy and helpful for you to try to establish some close friendships with other people. What would it take for this to happen? If you have people close that you turn to with good and bad news, what do you do to nourish those relationships? 

Many people in our society enjoy being isolated, not having to worry about anyone but themselves. What is the problem with this attitude, especially when we consider what Christ would tell us?

We were created with two voids….one is filled by our relationship with God. The other is filled through our relationships with other people. How are you doing with filling these two voids? What could you do that you aren’t doing now? 

Finding Hope - When It's mess up

What are some of the IT’s that have been messed up in your life? What is the most messed up IT you’ve ever experieienced. How did you respond?

In Psalm 86 David says that he is “poor and needy.” We can take this both literally and figuratively. When were you “poor and needy?” What did you do?

God answers prayer. The challenge for us is that sometimes God’s answer is “NO!” When was the last time you felt God’s answer was “NO?”  How did you feel? How did you respond? Are you able to trust God fully with your life even when he sometimes answers your prayers with a “NO?”

Contrary to what we would like to believe, like the ancients, we too at times worship gods other than our Creator….the god of money, the god of achievement, the god of us being in control, etc., etc. Who are some of your gods? What are some steps you can take to get them off the god list? What are some steps you can take to make the God who created you number one in your life? 

The next time IT’s really messed up, whatever IT is, how different would your life look it you looked to God for hope? What would it take for you to truly look to God for the hope in your life, and to place ALL your trust in God, knowing that God will take care of you no matter what? What’s it going to take? Are you willing to step out in faith and trust God that much?