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SunSundayMarMarch13th2011 March 13, 2011 - Separating ourselves from the sin that separates us from God

Not Going Back - Worship Rises

"Make confession to the Lord": Separating ourselves from the sin that separates us from God
Ezra 10
Todd Dugard

This is my testimony of overcoming the hindrances to worship in my life...

Sensing God's Spirit at work in me... (v. 1)

...I see the hope I have in the LORD (v. 2)

...and turn from my sin (v. 3-43)
  • get specific (v. 3-8)
  • call it out for what it is (v. 9-10)
  • embrace the remedy (v. 11)
  • follow a plan (v. 12-14)
  • expect critics (v. 15)
  • see it through (v. 16-43)
...fully realizing how hard this is going to be (v. 44)

Small Group Curriculum

1.     How is worship rising in my life?
2.     What specific thing am I in danger of going back to?
3.     Will I name it as sin or make excuses?  (vs. 9-11)
4.     Make a plan:
  • Radical Amputation – What will I name?                                                                         
  • Radical Accountability – Who will I tell?                                                             
  • Radical Affection – How will I increase worship?
5.     Read verse 16.  Have I signed on the line?

Breakout:

1. What specific action do I need to commit to before others? 
2. How can we encourage each other this week?
Audio Separating ourselves from sin.mp3
SunSundayMarMarch6th2011 March 6, 2011 - Confronting the hindrances to worship

Not Going Back - Worship Rises

"Our guilt has mounted up to the heavens": Confronting the hindrances to worship
Ezra 9-10
Todd Dugard

I confront the hindrances to worship when...

I see the real problem (v. 1-2)
I am appalled by it (v. 3-4)
I throw myself before God in desperate prayer (v. 5-15)
  • grieving (v. 6)
  • revealing (v. 7)
  • remembering (v. 8-9
  • agreeing (v. 10-12)
  • accepting (v. 13-15)

Small Group Curriculum

Any hindrance to worship has to come from our side.  Where do hindrances originate?
Consider the following areas:
1.     Matt 6:21 In what areas can a lack of generosity hinder my worship?
2.     Matt 15:18  What kind of words hinder my worship?  Does this include thoughts that I don’t express?
3.     Matt 15:19  What actions are there that I tend to overlook in spite of how they might hinder worship?  What does repetitive disobedience really say about my heart?
4.     Matt 18:35  How does unforgiveness, malice, anger, or wishing someone harm become embedded in my life and therefore included in my worship?
5.     1 John 3:17  Can there be true worship if justice and mercy are being withheld?  Read James 1:27
6.     Romans 10:1  If mission is actually an expression of worship, what does my level of involvement indicate about my heart?

Breakout:

1. What specific area do I need to confront?  Spend some time praying for each other.  Consider the pattern of Ezra’s prayer:  Grieving, Revealing (honesty), Remembering, Agreeing, Accepting.
2. Commit to pray over the next seven days about how we’ll respond to the call to eliminate the hindrances to worship.
Audio Confronting the hindrances to worship.mp3
SunSundayFebFebruary27th2011 February 27, 2011 - Following godly leadership

Not Going Back - Worship Rises

"The hand of the Lord his God was on him": Following godly leadership
Ezra 7-8
Todd Dugard

As a godly leader, do I have God's hand on me?
(as a godly follower, I'll follow this kind of leader)

I'll study, live out, and teach God's Word (7:1-10)
I'll see evidence of God's work around me (7:11-26)
I'll acknowledge that God gets the credit for that work (7:27-28)
And, I'll love those who are following me by leading them to... (8:1-14)
...serve the LORD (8:15-20; 24-30)
...trust the LORD (8:21-23)
...worship the LORD (8:31-36)

Small Group Curriculum

1.     Am I stirred when our focus is put on Jesus and all he has done for us in salvation?  Briefly share your testimony of salvation.
2.     “I will never see God’s hand on my life if I don’t have God’s Word in my life.”   How can I make God’s Word pre-eminent in my life?  (Ezra 7:10)
3.     What evidence of God’s work are you seeing in your life? (Ezra 7:11-26) Is there something that only God could have done?
4.     When do we tend to take credit for things instead of giving God the glory? (Ezra 7:27-28)  How does this balance with our responsibility to act?
5.     Share a time you have gone out on a limb for God.  (Ezra 8:21-23)
6.     Read Ezra 8:22 and Romans 8:28.  What is the encouragement for this side of trials? Have I been seeking God’s face or his hand?

Breakout:
1. Am I actively following, by pursuing Worshipping Christ, Walking with Christ and Working for Christ? 
2. Take some time to pray for anyone facing a trial.
Audio Following godly leadership.mp3
SunSundayFebFebruary13th2011 February 13, 2011 - Realizing the blessing of simple obedience

Not Going Back - Worship Rises

"The Lord Had Made Them Joyful": Realizing the blessing of simple obedience
Ezra 6:13-22
Pastor Todd Dugard

God's desire is to give us joy as a guaranteed blessing for obedience.

Joy realized: "I've got it!" (6:13-15)
Joy expressed: "I'm showing it!" (6:16-18)
Joy retained: "I'm keeping it! (6:19-22)

Small Group Curriculum

1.     In what ways do we struggle with believing the following?
  • God desires to give us joy!                                                                                               
  • God is greater than any opposition or circumstance!                                               
  • God is willing to help us relearn faithfulness!                                               
2.     Joy only comes through a relationship with Jesus.  Briefly share how this foundational relationship was established in your life.
3.     Do we have joy shining through our life?  (vs. 16)  What area of life tends to drive us to substitute emotions or controlling our circumstances for joy?
4.     Review the four ways joy can be expressed in our lives.  Discuss how they might still be expressed during difficult times?
5.     Read Ezra 6:22.  What do we need to pursue to get it, show it and keep it?

Breakout:
1. Are there any areas of partial obedience or rebellions large and small stealing our joy? 
2. How can we help each other overcome them?
Audio Realizing the blessing of simple obedience.mp3
SunSundayFebFebruary6th2011 February 6, 2011 - Attributing worth to God in all my work

Not Going Back - Worship Rises

"Let it be done with all diligence": Attributing worth to God in all my work
Ezra 5-6:12
Todd Dugard

Working with  all diligence for God requires that...

...when I hear the Word (5:1-2)

...I get right to work (5:3-4)

...seeing his favour on what I'm doing (5:5)

...and remaining humble about what's being accomplished (5:6-612)

Small Group Curriculum

1.     Todd mentioned that our whole lives are worship.  Hopefully it’s to Jesus… but on this side of eternity we all have idols we’re tangling with.  Identify some of yours – and how you can tear them down this week.
2.     Read Ezra 5:1-2.  We see here that the people accepted the message from God that was taught to them.  The reality is that whenever we crack open our Bibles we are staring directly into the face of God. Is that the sense you get as you read?  Why or why not? What are your motives for reading the Bible?  We heard Sunday that we should read the Bible so as to ‘consider our ways.’  What things do you need to consider this week as you’ve heard the Word preached and get into it on your own?
3.     Read Ezra 5:3-5.  The people get right to work rebuilding the temple.  We’ve probably all heard that God wants us in the game – serving and living for him – not just coasting through a life of mediocricy. What is that ‘something’ that you need to get to work on in your life so you can be an effective worshipper?
4.     Read Ezra 5:5.  Pastor Todd mentioned that ‘the eye of God’ on us could be a comforting thing or uncomfortable thing.  As you assess your own life, does God’s eye on you a welcome thing or something you want to run from (Adam and Eve in the garden)?  How can you get to the place where you want nothing less than God’s watchful eye on your life?  How can your small group help make this happen effectively in each others lives?
5.     Read Ezra 5:6-6:12.  The humility in the Jew’s response is pretty inspiring.  What does their humility say about what their identity is wrapped up in?  It’s also interesting to note that humility doesn’t mean a lack of confidence.  What does confidence wrapped in a deep humility look like for you?  For us as a small group?  For us as a church?  How does Ephesians 3:20 encourage you as you seek to live your life with all diligence?

Breakout:
1. The three obstacles in the face of obedience to the Word mentioned Sunday were ignorance, discouragement and rebellion. How do we counteract those in our lives?
Audio Attributing worth to God in all my work.mp3
SunSundayJanJanuary30th2011 January 30, 2011 - Expecting opposition to faith and worship

Not Going Back - Worship Rises

"Frustrate their purpose": Expecting opposition to faith and worship
Ezra 4
Todd Dugard

If I'm doing exactly what God told me to do, how is it that things can still go so wrong?

God doesn't keep me from being opposed (v. 1-3)
...his purpose is to set me apart from the world

God doesn't keep me from facing discouragement and fear (v. 4-5)
...his purpose is to have me know his power

God doesn't keep me from injustice (v. 6-23)
...his purpose is to have me man-up and trust him

God doesn't keep me from apparent failure (v. 24)
...his purpose is for me to know that his ways are far greater

Small Group Curriculum

1.     Share a time when things went wrong and God seemed absent.
2.     Life’s difficulties happen to everyone: How should our responses differ as believers?
3.     How can we identify with the person of Jesus when experiencing opposition to righteous living? (Read Matthew 10:16-33)
4.     How does our culture disguise their opposition to our “Mission” and “Message”? (Ezra 4:2)
5.     Read 2 Timothy 3:12-14. What breaks your resolve to live for Christ?
6.     Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-10.  What specific tasks would an increase in God’s power encourage you to step up for?
7.     Todd quoted Paul Tripp – “Waiting is not a sign of God’s … inattention, but a loving tool of his delivering and transforming grace.”  In what area are you leaning on God’s “until”?

Breakout:

1. What is a specific area of discouragement or failure you need to bring before God?
2. Encourage each other with Philippians 1:6.
Audio Expecting opposition to faith and worship.mp3
SunSundayJanJanuary23rd2011 January 23, 2011 - Finding God in relationship not religion

Not Going Back - Worship Rises

"His house endures forever": Finding God in relationship not religion
Ezra 3
Todd Dugard

God loves me so much!

He treasures my family (3:1a)
He calls me to be part of something greater than myself (3:1b, 8-9)
He doesn't expect everything to be perfect now (3:2-7)
He encourages joyful celebration (3:10-11)
He allows for pain and sorrow (3:12-13)


Audio Finding God in Relationship not Religion.mp3
Seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.