The Heart of the Father (Best Dad Ever)

The Heart of the Father (Best Dad Ever)

Verses Used: * Psalm 103:8-14 * Exodus 34:6-7 * Deuteronomy * Jeremiah * Luke 15 * Matthew 7 * Romans 8 Takeaways: The Father is Compassionate Toward His Children * In verse 8 it says, “The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love." Though sometimes we believe and think the opposite. * Compassion is when someone sees your weakness, your pain, your struggle, and instead of moving away from you, they move toward you. * David wants us to know God’s heart is bigger than our failures. The Father Forgives His Children Completely * We are all guilty of sin which includes pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and/or lust. * God’s anger is not opposed to his love; it flows from his love. * The Father treated His Son as though He were guilty so that He could treat guilty sinners as beloved children. * God’s love and forgiveness are immeasurable. The Father Understands His Children’s Weakness * The Bible presents God as a Father who carries and disciplines His children, has compassion on His children, longs for wandering children, runs toward repentant children, gives good gifts to His children, and adopts sinners into His family through Jesus Christ. * God knows our limitations, fears, exhaustion, struggles, and failures. * Nothing surprises Him. He knows us completely. * Biblical fear is not terror that causes us to run from God. It is reverence that causes us to run to God. * Fear is a gift when it reminds us that we are not self-sufficient. Fear tells us we need help, fear tells us there are things we cannot control, and it tells us we are not as strong as we thought we were. Discussion Questions: * Why might it be hard to grasp that God forgives and completely forgets our sins? * Is understanding God’s love and compassion for you something that you struggle to believe at times? Why? * God says we are but dust, we have limitations and weaknesses. Why is it hard for us to come to terms with this? * Have you ever tried to hide from God? What was your reason for hiding? https://missio.life/home [https://missio.life/home]

Love Jesus Live Sent: Generosity Over Holding Back

Verses Used: * 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 * 2 Corinthians 8:2 * Malachi 3:8-12 * Matthew 6:21 * Matthew 6:24 Takeaways: * Generosity begins when we recognize that everything we have is a gift from God. Generosity Begins with Trust * A scarcity mindset is rooted in the belief that there is not enough to go around so I need to protect what I have. Some of our thoughts might include: What if I give and then don’t have enough? What if my contribution is too small to matter? What if I need that money later? What if I give and nobody appreciates it? * God says you will have “all sufficiency in all things at all times.” * The gospel itself is a story of generosity. “For God so loved the world that he gave…” * A life that constantly holds back will experience fewer opportunities to see God work through them. * In the passage today, Paul is not saying, “giving money means getting more money.” Generosity is a Matter of the Heart * A guilt culture says, “You have to”; a generous culture says, “You get to.” Generosity Shows up in Other Areas * Financial generosity looks like: donations to ministry or benevolent needs. Holding back looks like not giving. * Missional generosity looks like opening our homes, serving others, and making room for people far from God. Holding back sounds like, “I don't really care that much about your needs or pointing you toward Jesus.” * Relational generosity looks like giving time, attention, hospitality, and encouragement. Holding back sounds like, “I’m not available”, “I don’t have time for you”, or it looks like holding back encouragement or kindness. * Generosity is choosing to use whatever God has given me for the benefit of someone else. Discussion Questions: * How have you seen God be generous to you in your life? * What messages resonate with you from the scarcity mindset? Why? * What do our spending, priorities, and use of time reveal about what we truly value? * Which area of generosity comes most naturally to you? Which area is most difficult for you to live open-handedly? (Financially, serving, hospitality, encouragement, time, relationships, etc.) https://missio.life/home [https://missio.life/home]

Love Jesus Live Sent: Encouragement Over Criticism

REMINDER: The Missio Church Podcast will be taking a pause for about a month. Please reach out to our office if you have any questions. Office # (701) 319-5986 | office@missio.life [office@missio.life] Verses Used: * Ephesians 4:29 * John 13:35 * Proverbs 4:23 * Luke 6:45 * Proverbs 17:22 * John 15:4 Takeaways: * Encouragement over criticism. We build each other up with words of hope and truth; choosing to see the good and call it out. Consider Others * Paul repeatedly emphasizes that unity and encouragement are the marks of followers of Jesus. * Encouragement includes building up, it fits the need, and gives grace. Consider the Problem * Criticism is not the problem, it’s a symptom. * We’ve lost sensitivity to care. Consider the Source * When Christ fills our hearts, grace begins to flow from our mouths in a way that builds others up and gives grace to all who hear. https://missio.life/home [https://missio.life/home]

Love Jesus Live Sent: Rhythms Over Hustle

Verses Used: * Psalm 23 * Matthew 11:28-30 * John 15 Takeaways: * Rhythms over hustle. We embrace a Spirit-led pace of life, rooted in rest, presence, and intentionality; not burnout or busyness. * Hustle culture looks like being hurried, emotionally unavailable, constantly exhausted, or always producing and striving. The Shepherd Leads Us * God’s people are often described as sheep, possibly because they are deeply dependent creatures. Goats on the other hand are much more independent. They wander, climb, and do their own thing. * The sheep are God’s people because the follow the shepherd; goats do not. * A hustle culture trains us to live more like goats than sheep: independent, self-sufficient, always pushing, always striving, and always proving ourselves. * The Good Shepherd leads his people, provides for needs, protects from evil, sets a healthy pace, and invites us to rest. * Many of us struggle to rest because we struggle to trust the shepherd. His way is best and he is leading us to another way of life. The Shepherd Restores Our Souls * Jesus knows how to care for a depleted soul that looks like emotional fatigue, constant stimulations, anxiety, endless scrolling, overwork, or burnout. * The rest or restoring of our souls is found in Jesus. Jesus taught in John 15 the idea of abiding in him. The true need for our souls is met by being with Jesus. * We are invited into a different way of living, a different rhythm with Jesus. Jesus says, “Let me teach you, and you will find rest for your souls with me.” * The Shepherd leads His sheep down certain paths because He knows where life is found. Healthy Rhythms * Everybody already has rhythms of life. The question is, “Are your rhythms forming you toward Jesus or away from him? * Healthy Spiritual Rhythms include prayer, scripture, worship, and solitude * Healthy Physical Rhythms include sleep and exercise. * Healthy Missional Rhythms include bless, eat, celebrate, story-formed, and ReCreate Discussion Questions: * How can you tell when your soul is becoming depleted or restless? What are the warning signs? * What are some places people commonly go to find rest or restoration apart from Jesus? Do those things actually satisfy? * What is one rhythm in your life that is helping you stay close to Jesus right now? * How might a life of constant hustle make it difficult to notice and respond to opportunities God gives us to love and serve others? https://missio.life/home [https://missio.life/home]

Love Jesus Live Sent: Transformation Over Information

Verses Used: * James 1:22-25 * Matthew 23:23 * 2 Corinthians 3:18 * 1 John 4:16 * 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 * John 13:35 Takeaways: * Information-based Christianity consumes content, debates theology, appears knowledgeable, and can still lack love. * Transformational Christianity learns and applies the gospel, grows in patience and humility, shaped by grace and truth, and matures in love. Information * Despite all the content we have at our fingertips, we don’t automatically get discipleship or spiritual maturity. Transformation * We can mistake sudden changes in a person’s behaviors as transformation. * A new Christian might stop swearing, stop partying, start attending church, and start listening to worship music instead of explicit music. * Transformation goes deeper than behavior management. * External behavior can change faster than the heart. That’s why Jesus continually focused on the heart. Love * Love is the most important aspect of Jesus’ nature. * 1 John 4:16 says, “God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” * The truest measure of spiritual maturity is not how much you know about God, but how well your heart had been transformed by God’s love. Discussion Questions: * How do you think it was possible for the Pharisees to know so much about God, and yet miss the heart of God? What happened? * Why do you think people, including ourselves, often settle for outward change instead of inward transformation? * Who is someone in your life that reflects the love of Jesus well? What characteristics stand out about them? * Why do you think love is such a powerful witness to people who don’t know Jesus? https://missio.life/home [https://missio.life/home]