Week Eleven  •  November 17, 2024  •  Ephesians 6:18-24 Open in Prayer Discuss Together Ephesians 1-3 describes our new identity in Christ. How does Paul depict this "new self," and what are some specific ways this new identity should impact how we live our lives? (e.g., in relationships, work, or facing challenges)? Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasizes that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works. How does this truth free us from the pressure to earn God's favor and empower us to live out our new identity? How can we practically remind ourselves of this truth when we ..read more

Week Nine  •  November 3, 2024  •  Ephesians 5:22-6:9 Open in Prayer Read Ephesians 5:21-6:9 Spirit-Guided Relationships: Wives and Husbands 21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. 25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up ..read more

Week Eight  •  October 27, 2024  •  Ephesians 5:6-21 Open in Prayer Use Paul’s prayer below to guide and direct your opening prayer for one another, focusing on our desire for God to bring light to our hearts and discussion around his word: I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and you will understand the hope given to you when God chose you. I pray that you will discover the glorious blessings that wil ..read more

Week Seven  •  October 20, 2024  •  Ephesians 4:17-5:5 Open in Prayer Take some time to ask God to quiet your heart and make you aware of his presence in your life. Pray that God would give you eyes to behold wonderful things in His word, by His Spirit.. Read Ephesians 4:17-5:2 Living as Children of Light 17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 ..read more

Week Six  •  October 13, 2024  •  Ephesians 4:1-16 Open in Prayer What are some obstacles to leaning toward those who are different than us What are some influences in our world that propagate distance between those who disagree? Read Ephesians 4:1-16 Unity in the Body 1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the ..read more

Week Four  •  September 29, 2024  •  Ephesians 3:1-13 Open in Personal Prayer Time Take some time to ask God to quiet your heart and make you aware of his presence in your life. Pray that God would give you eyes to behold wonderful things in His word, by His Spirit. Read Ephesians 3:1-13 God’s Mysterious Plan Revealed 1 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . . 2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God ..read more

Week Three  •  September 22, 2024  •  Ephesians 2:11-22 Pray Together Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your time together and each member of the group. Read Ephesians 2:11-22 11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in thi ..read more

Week Two  •  September 15, 2024  •  Ephesians 1:15-2:10 Read this Prayer & Discuss I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. 18 My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and you will understand the hope given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all God's people. 19 I want you to know about the great and mighty power that God has for us followers. (Eph 1:17-19, CEV)  Whi ..read more

Week One  •  September 8, 2024  •  Ephesians 1:1-14 Open in Prayer What are some areas in which people tend to be critical of themselves? How does our low view of ourselves impact our view of God? In what ways might our low view of self affect our understanding of how God views us? Read Ephesians 1:1-14 Greetings from Paul 1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Sp ..read more

MILESTONES WORTH REMEMBERING Joshua 4:4-8, 19-24 Deuteronomy 5:12-15, 24:18-22, 7:17-19 Open in Prayer Think of a positive milestone in your life.  Describe how you felt that day.  How did this affect your outlook on life at that time? Think of a challenging milestone or season in your life.  Describe how you felt during that time.  How did this affect your outlook on life at that time? Read Joshua 4:4-8, 19-24 4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. 5 He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in fr ..read more