Living Without Lack | Learning Guide

October 9th, 2022

10:15am I Facebook Live & Zoom

Watch last week's message here

Title

Living Without Lack

Text

2 Peter 1 (NET)​

Introduction:

The anger boiled up in my throat as I took my last gasps, drowning in despair. The weight of my life was anchored to legs and mercilessly dragging me to an endless watery depth. While on the outside it may not have seemed this way, but nothing could’ve been more true on the inside. It wasn’t an experience I could be reasoned out of, prayed out of, distracted out of, educated out of, psychoanalyzed out of, medicated out of.

I was a desperate animal caught in a trap. It would take something “supernatural” to save me. Something supernatural did. Let’s dig in this week and see what we can find.

Grace and peace y’all,

John Ray and the teaching team

Pray:

2 Peter 1: 3 “I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.”

Pray this “Abba, just like Peter I pray because of what you have given to me. Please let the experience of your abundant provision of everything I need for life and godliness permeate every bit of my being. Amen”

Big Idea:

Our knowledge/experience of Jesus provides all we ever truly need.

Take Away:

The paradox of Christian experience is that we have it all and we have nothing at the same time. We are utterly safe and provided for in every way while letting go of trusting in our own efforts to be safe and provided for.

How does this fit with Belong, Become, Believe?

Genuine hospitality cannot be given from a place of fear of lack. Knowing that we have already been and always will be provided for allows us to joyfully practice hospitality and invite others to belong. This assurance of provision also allows us to become more and more like Jesus. The confession of this reality forms our faith, what we say and demonstrate what we believe.

What's Next?

Shannon Barrowcliff leads us through 2 Peter 2.

Resources: Dallas Willard’s A Life without Lack

Contact Grace Church NWA here