Shine - Know Your Hill

Jesus implores us, "let your light shine before men." In this new series we are asking the question: how can I maximize the impact of the light in my life? In the same way that a city on a hill is more visible than one in a valley and a lamp that's placed up high on a stand shares more light than a lamp under a basket, we are going to take a look at our lives and ask how we can be strategic in the ways we share the light of Jesus with the world around us. 

Foundational Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16; John 8:12; Acts 8:26-40

   

Cleaning House - Shame

Imagine you are standing in the closet of your heart. You are taking an inventory of all of your habits, relationships, beliefs, memories, thoughts, words, and actions. Throughout this series we have discussed several things that start to creep in and live in our hearts including envy, anger, greed and lust. Today, in our final episode, we want to truly crawl into the deepest darkest crawl spaces to bring light into the most hidden places of our hearts. These places often hold guilt over the mistakes we’ve made but they also store our shame which attempts to shape our belief about who we are, leading us away from God and the life for which He designed us.

Discussion Questions

   

Cleaning House - Lust

Our culture seems to blare it’s misguided messages about sex through a giant megaphone. We run into lust at the mall, in our inboxes and our mailboxes, on the sides of highways, and on practically every television channel. Yet most of us have a deep sense that it was meant to be something more. Something deeper. Something truly intimate. The God-given gift of sex was meant to provide us with glue-like relational intimacy and a deep sense of satisfaction, and yet we so often find ourselves outside of His design for sex - experiencing only isolation and emptiness. Thankfully, there is life-giving hope for us all as God leads us to clean out even this very personal corner of our closets.

Discussion Questions

   

Cleaning House - Greed

I don’t believe I’ve ever heard someone say, “You know what my problem is? I’m just so greedy!” Greed is one of the most sneaky closet-dwellers because it is often so difficult to see in the mirror. When we boil greed down to its basic form we see that it is unfortunately common to the human experience but, thankfully, God has shown us a way to fight against the current of greed and live a life marked by contentment, generosity and joy.

Discussion Questions

   

Cleaning House - Anger

Have you ever perfectly cleaned and organized something only to have someone come and mess it up? When our orderly lives are disrupted, and anger invades our otherwise peaceful hearts, it is all too easy for us to say, “Yeah, I’m angry, but it’s clearly their fault!” Over time that anger, when allowed to grow in the dark places of our hearts, turns into bitterness that chokes out some of the most beautiful things in life. Anger can begin to harden our hearts, put a cap on the love we feel for others, and hold us back from taking steps into the future God has for us.

Discussion Questions

"Take Over" by Shane & Shane

   

Cleaning House - Envy

Whether it’s a few dozen mismatched socks, a box full of receipts from five years ago, or a broken vacuum cleaner that you’ve already replaced, we all have things in our closets that need to hit the road. The same is true of our hearts - they are so easily cluttered with things that hold us back, rob us of our joy and hijack our peace of mind. Let’s get real and drag it all out into the open so we can ask God to point out what he wants us to trash and what He wants us to keep. We can do so with confidence, knowing that He loves us and wants to give us a rich and satisfying life. 

Discussion Questions

   

Taming the Beast - Bad Blood

In the words of T. Swift: "You know it used to be mad love, but baby now we've got bad blood." Conflicts often start small but can escalate quickly to create painful results, leaving our relationships pained and empty.  A critical element in learning to tame the beast is to discover how we can not just diffuse an argument but reestablish unity in the relationship.

Discussion Questions

The DNA Journey Video

   

Taming the Beast - Truth & Love

Why do we so often believe we have to choose between being fully honest with someone and maintaining harmony in the relationship? Is it really possible to speak the truth in love? The authors of Crucial Conversations suggest that it is indeed possible to navigate these conversations in a way that allows us to be fully honest AND fully respectful. Learning these skills will lead us all to deeper, healthier relationships, and increased influence in our communities, workplaces and families.

Discussion Questions

Style Under Stress test - www.crucialconversations.com/sus

   

Taming the Beast - Obedience School

James chapter 3 reminds us that even the wildest of animals can be tamed, but the tongue is too wild to control. But Ephesians chapter 4 gives us a practical filter to help us train this wild beast.  Implementing this filter is challenging, but for those of us who want our words to have a positive impact on those around us, it’s worth the effort.

Foundational Scripture: James 3:7-10, Ephesians 4:29

Discussion Questions

   

Unicorns, Perfect Parents & Other Mythical Creatures - Part Three

In this final episode of the series, Jess and her Mom, along with an adorable surprise guest, talk about the power our words have in our parenting. Join them as they discuss how all communication begins in our hearts, the power of speaking the truth in love, and the value of apologizing to your children.

Foundational Scripture: Luke 6:45, Ephesians 4:15

   

Do the Next Thing

Do the next thing.jpg

Take this week to catch up on any old episodes you may have missed from the Dig Deep Podcast.  Join Jess again next Tuesday as she explores anxiety and depression, and the important decision that must be made a hundred times a day to simply "do the next thing." 

Do The Next Thing

From an old English parsonage,
Down by the sea,
There came in the twilight,
A message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend,
Deeply engraven,
Hath, as it seems to me,
Teaching from Heaven.
And on through the hours
The quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration-
"Do the next thing."

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment,
Let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity,
Guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows,
Child of the King, 
Trust them with Jesus,
Do the next thing.

Do it immediately;
Do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence,
Tracing His Hand,
Who placed it before thee with
Earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence,
Safe 'neath His wing,
Leave all resultings,
Do the next thing.

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
Working or suffering
Be thy demeanor,
In His dear presence,
The rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance
Be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness,
Praise and sing,
Then, as He beckons thee,
Do the next thing.

- Author unknown