Eliminate the Competition!

Mesa Church

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Eliminate the Competition!

September 10, 2023 • Jordan Hansen • Exodus 20:4–6, Colossians 1:15–20

What is the SECOND commandment and why does it matter?

God has set us free so we can live free. If we have prioritized God in our life, we will be able to filter everything after that to determine whether or not it serves us to serve Him. Next up? Our worship! The problem here is that we are inundated by cultural influences. God’s desire for relationship cannot co-exist with compromise. Our hearts must be pure. But our hearts have competing desires. Don’t they? While we may not bow our knees to wooden or stone idols, we still need to eliminate the desires of our hearts that do not point our “image” to our Creator God. If we do, generations will thanks us.

TALK ABOUT IT - Questions to GROW through with family, friends, & myself.

1. How have your ancestors impacted your faith? How will your relationship with God impact coming generations?

2. Are there any specific cultural idols or influences that you find particularly challenging to resist? How can you point the underlying desires to Jesus?

3. Think about the desires you've had throughout different stages of your life. Have any of these desires become idols at certain times? How did you navigate the competing desires in your different life stages?

4. Reflect on the importance of relationships and community within the church family. How can the church play a role in helping individuals eliminate competing desires and grow in their relationship with Jesus?

5. PRAYER: “Father, we desire every desire point back to YOU. Help us eliminate the competition!”

The Transformed Thought Life

November 5, 2023 • Sharon Noble

Speak Only Truth

October 29, 2023 • Jordan Hansen • Proverbs 6:16–19, John 8:44, James 3:5–6, Exodus 20:1–2, Exodus 20:16

God has set us free so we can live free. That means loving God with all of our hearts, minds, and souls. isn’t that what Jesus said? That way we can love others as God created us to love them…“as ourselves.” We dive deeper into the Ten Commandments and discover loving others as ourselves mean we speak ONLY truth about others. The power of life and death is in the tongue, and we want to use ours to cultivate life! Jesus provides the long term solution. Just as the 10 Commandments didn’t save the Israelites, they don't save us. But they do provide a framework to build a community of FREE people. Free for what? To follow, serve, & worship God! TALK ABOUT IT - Questions to GROW through with family, friends, & myself. 1. In what ways have you personally been affected by false testimony, rumors, or gossip? 2. How does the real life story of Walter McMillan in “Just Mercy,” reflect the damage done through false testimony? 3. What was one practical way to speak truth only that resonated with me and why? 4. How does Jesus transform us through Truth? How does this reflect a process? 5. PRAYER: “Father, help us to speak only truth.”

Trust God's Provision

October 22, 2023 • Jordan Hansen • Malachi 3:8–10, Proverbs 3:5–10, Philippians 4:19, Exodus 20:13, Exodus 20:1–2

God has set us free so we can live free. That means loving God with all of our hearts, minds, and souls. Isn’t that what Jesus said? That way we can love others as God created us to love them…”as ourselves.” We dive deeper into the Ten Commandments to discover the power of trusting God’s provision for our lives so we will be free from the need to steal…and even worry. As always, Jesus is the pathway to this reality being unlocked in our lives. Just as the 10 Commandments didn’t save the Israelites, they dont save us. But they do provide a framework to build a community of FREE people. Free for what? To follow, serve, & worship God! TALK ABOUT IT - Questions to GROW through with family, friends, & myself. 1. Have I ever had something stolen from me? How did it make me feel? 2. In what ways have you personally struggled with the concept of stealing, either in actions or attitudes? 3. Can you think of any situations in your life where you may have cheated God? How can this change? 4. Which application mentioned can grow in trusting God’s provision and begin to do THIS WEEK? 5. PRAYER: “Father, help us to trust your provision!”