The Next Project

The Next Project at Real Life Church, www.reallifechurch.tv, will be the development of our youth program.

Here's some of the ideas we have:

1) Our aim is to have a youth program that offers students something they do not get anywhere else. Biblical training that helps them deepen their walk with Christ and helps them face the issues of today.

2) Our aim is to focus on the 'Come and See' message that Christ used in His ministry. 'Come and See' the Real Life Difference. 'Come and See' the Real Life message that God has for all people.

3) Our aim is to offer weekly teaching and worship that fits with everyone's schedules, in addition to our Sunday Service at 10:30 AM. It will be student focused and student sensitive.

We are looking forward to planning this new ministry. Our goal is to launch the new ministry in July 2009 - which is Right Now. Keep on the lookout for more info, a new website, and a new facebook page. We hope to have all these very soon.

Follow for the Real Life Groups from Sunday...

Alright, here are some follow-ups to our services on Sunday: Take a moment and try to answer these questions.


TAKE IT HOME:
1. Name your lion(s) and face your fears. Honestly acknowledge your fears to
God and ask Him to help you overcome any unbelief. What truth about God
do you need to focus on this week? Each time you are confronted by your
lion, shift the focus of your thoughts to how big and awesome your God is and
watch your lion shrink.
2. Where in your life have you been playing it safe? What first steps are you willing
to take this week? What do you need to risk, long term, in order to accomplish
God’s purpose in this area? Ask your LifeGroup to pray for you as you
take your first steps towards conquering your fears.
3. Write you own psalm describing how big your God is to you, personally. You
might incorporate some of your favorite promises. For example: “My God is
always faithful. He will never, ever leave me or forsake me.” (Hebrews 13:5b)
“My God is powerful and mighty. Nothing is too difficult for Him.” (Jeremiah
32:17)

Fearless #3 - Facing the Octogon

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. 2 Samuel 23:20-21

· Benaiah was one of the top five soldiers in Israel.
· He was a General in the Israeli army.
· He was the Captain of King David’s bodyguards.

He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. Samuel 23:20b

Life Group Questions

1) What is the lion you need to chase and conquer?

2) To chase your lion, you’ll have to take a “first step.” What is the first step you need to take to conquer your fear?

3) My God is the Indescribable One. Though none of us have words to explain His goodness, try. Who is God to you? “My God is…”

This Week's Mind Dump

Alright - this has little to do with Real Life Church...but hey...it is REAL to LIFE.Three Things That You Hope Do Not Happen While Driving on I-75 South Through Atlanta!
1) You Really Hope Your Car Does NOT Die on You! Just as I passed the connector to I-20 on I-75 south, my car dies. That was awesome. Trying to get from one of the middle lanes over the shoulder without getting hit or run over. It was horrible!
2) You Really, Really Hope Road-Side Assistance Does NOT Tell You They Can Be There to Help in One Hour! I call Road-Side Un-Assistance and find out they can't get a wrecker to me for an hour. That too was Awesome! Sitting in my dead car in the middle of the afternoon and all I could do was SWEAT. Man, it was hot!
3) Finally, You Really, Really, REALLY Hope That The Wrecker Does NOT Drop You and Your DEAD Car Off in Da' Hood at a Chop SHOP! I thought East St. Louis was rough...oh no...that alley we went down, past the crack house and drug dealers made E STL seem like a nice place to live.

That was my trip back from our Minister's Retreat. Though I drive through the Valley of Shady Characters...I did Fear and Hoped My Car would Start! Thank God It Did!

Questions...Food for Thought - Fearless #2

At Real Life Church, www.reallifechurch.tv, we are entering into our next message in our Fearless series. It is entitled, If You Can't Stand the Heat!

Here are some questions to go along with the passages we posted earlier.

1) Faith that’s tested is faith that can be trusted. What “fiery trials” have you endured that strengthened your faith?

2) In what area of life are you most tempted to follow people’s expectations instead of God’s commands? (Remember to have your Life Group pray for you about this.)

3) There is a difference between believing in God and believing God. What are you “believing God” for?

Go ahead and comment and share your thoughts.

Prep for Fearless #2 - If You Can't Stand the Heat...

Here's the next passages for our Fearless series at Real Life Church, www.reallifechurch.tv

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:1

Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." Daniel 3:4-6

…But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" Daniel 3:15b

Against All Odds Prep - Part 2

Again, here's some food for thought for our upcoming message: Against All Odds - Fearless #1 at www.reallifechurch.tv.


TAKE IT HOME:
1. What has fear kept you from doing that God is calling you to do? Address
your fears by honestly acknowledging to God your mistrust of Him. Be
honest about any wrong beliefs about yourself and any negative absolutes
that you have believed. Begin rejecting these thoughts and replacing them
with what God says. Build up your faith in God by focusing on His promises,
His character and His past faithfulness.
2. How has depending on your own sufficiency or focusing on your weaknesses,
kept you from experiencing God’s strength? What risk does God want you to
take in order to experience His strength through your weakness? When
thinking or speaking of your weaknesses or your negative circumstances, end
your thought with but God . . . Example: I feel weak and inadequate but God
is my adequacy ( 2 Cor.3:5-6).

DISCOVERY QUESTIONS:
1. Read Judges 6.
• Prior to Gideon saving the day, what was the situation in Israel? (vv1-6)
What did the oppressed and fearful Israelites do? (v7) How did God respond?
(vv7-10) What did the Lord declare to Gideon? How did he respond?
What questions did Gideon ask the Lord? What do Gideon’s questions
reveal about his fears?
• Make a list of all the Lord’s declarations and promises to Gideon. Which of
these promises apply to us today? How difficult is it for you to simply take
God at His Word and trust His promises? Why is God’s word sometimes not
enough to convince us to trust God?
• What fleeces (signs) did Gideon put out to test the Lord? When have you
tried the “fleece” method of determining God’s will? What was the result?
Like Gideon, were you tempted to do it again?
• In one night, Gideon tore down an alter to the false god, Baal, built another
and made sacrifices to the true God. What role do you think this played in
the defeat of the Midionites? What would you like to “tear down” in your life?
What would you like to “build up” to the glory of God?
2. Read Judges chapter 7 through chapter 8 verse one.
• Why did God want to reduce the size of Gideon’s army? What significance
does God’s method of selecting the 300 man army have? Why did God
choose the men that lapped water? What was God trying to teach Gideon?
• Why did God have Gideon spy on the enemy’s camp? (vv9-12) How did God
confirm for Gideon that he had truly heard from God? What means has God
used to encourage and build up your faith?

VERSES FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Deuteronomy 6:13-19; Judges 6-8:1; Psalm 56:2-4; Isaiah 43:1-5; 2 Corinthians
3:5-6, 11:30,12:9-10; Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 4:13; 2 Timothy 1:7