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WELCOME ICEBREAKER One thing that stressed me out this week was… WORSHIP It is essential that we build in time to worship God in our lives. It is easy to put this aside for other pressing issues. Demonstrate to your group the importance of this by taking time to plan out your worship time. Preparation makes a huge difference. WORD Margin can be defined as: a boundary indicating the limit beyond which something should not go; the edge of something, especially the outer edge, or the area close to it. In order to live healthy lives, we have to add margins to our lives. The purpose of this session is to discuss the importance of this and hopefully see areas in our lives that we can adjust to bear more fruit in our lives. Four benefits to having margins in your life are: - I’ve got more peace of mind in my life
- Better health. We all know that unrelenting stress harms our bodies.
- Stronger relationships.
- It makes you available for God to use. When you’ve got too much to do, you can only think of yourself. But when you have margin, you’re available for God to use.
As a group, discuss which benefit they could use most in their life right now. Read Matthew 6:25-34 What are the signs you have no margins left in your life? Five steps to building margin into your life: - Accept your human limitations. (Physical, emotional, mental, time and space) Read Psalm 119:96.
- What things cause you to be irritable suggesting you have exceeded your margins?
- Expect to have challenges in life. Read John 16:33.
- What do you think Jesus meant when He said we would have troubles?
- What troubles or challenges are you facing tonight?
- Put space into your schedule. Read Proverbs 21:5; Ecclesiastes 10:15.
- How can we plan for the surprises we get in life?
- Who had a surprise this week that set them back?
- Prune your activities. Read 1 Corinthians 6:12.
- What is an example of some “good things” we have trouble saying no to?
- Do less and trust God more. Read 2 Corinthians 1:8-9.
- Discuss why we can do more if we let go and let God. How easy is it to fall into the trap that we think being busy moves mountains instead of faith.
WORK Congratulations to all the home group leaders who helped at the water baptism. Great day! Please take time to pray one for another and especially that God will grace us to build healthy margins into our lives. Great work, home group leaders! Has this lesson helped you? Please let us know! Email home group testimonies with this form! “...I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” John 16:33 — MSG
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