StoneBridge Community Church
Interim Pastor Neal Nybo
Eco-Challenge Fiji is the world’s toughest race - a grueling, 11-day, 416-mile adventure race. For such an epic event, competitors obviously prepare with the highest level of discipline and commitment. But, do Christians need to prepare to be able to have important accomplishments? If so, how should we be preparing? Join us as we discover the answers.
Mark 9:14-21 NIV
Mark 9:22-29 NIV
1. Important accomplishments require preparation.
We understand about needing to prepare for something like "The world's toughest race." What about casting out an evil spirit? Would you have thought healing a person or casting out an evil spirit would take preparation?
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. When have you prepared for something important in your life?
2. Why might Christians need to prepare for important accomplishments?
3. Why might prayer and fasting help prepare someone to cast out demons?
2. Decide ahead of time what you are going to do.
Decide ahead of time what you will or won’t do, in a given situation. Before you're ever on a collision course with in a high stress, high temptation situation, decide what a good mental, emotional, and spiritual decision will be.
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. How does deciding ahead of time help prepare us for challenges?
2. When have you experienced a time when deciding ahead helped? What was the situation? How did it go?
3. What might you have coming up that deciding ahead of time will be helpful?
3. Pray about and read scripture related to your particular situation.
If you know you will face a challenge, pray about that challenge. Google scripture verses about that that challenge. Prepare for that challenge!
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. How might praying about a specific issue prepare us better than praying in general?
2. Why would reading scripture related to a challenge be helpful?
3. Have you ever googled a challenging topic and found helpful information?
4. What challenge could you google this week to better prepare yourself?
Next step:
Choose a challenge or opportunity you are likely to face this week. Try deciding ahead of time what you are going to do and not do. Then google, pray and read scripture about it. After you face the challenge, report back to your growth group how it went.
