The purpose of the church is to bring glory to God. Love God • Love People • Make Disciples Worship - lifting up the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Connect - living in community, loving and supporting one another Grow - equipping believers to live in obedience to God’s Word Serve - helping people discover and use their God-given talents Reach - transforming lives and communities with the good news of Jesus Christ Our Purpose why we exist Our Mission what we do Our Core Values how we do it Church Address: 4040 Tully Road Modesto, CA 95356 Phone Number: 209.577.1604 Office Hours: Monday - Thursday: 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. Friday - Sunday: Closed Website: www.bigvalleygrace.org Stay Connected www.bigvalleygrace.org Latest news and events Audio messages and sermon notes Information about our ministries Contact Information small groups Discussion Questions Opening Do you think this generation of fast food, internet shopping and suburbia is busier than generations in the past? Support your answer. How does it impact our lives, relationships and culture? Discussion What are the benefits of a balanced life? Are those benefits compelling/motivating? What other influences are strong enough to compete with having a balanced life? Is there a difference between contentment and complacency? What behaviors or habits do contented people exhibit? Do contented people experience change in their lives? If so, is it change they initiate or change that is placed on them? Do you think contented people likely to seek new experiences, friendships or locations? Explain your answer. Do you seek quiet time? Why? If so, what does it look like? Is it really quiet or is it something else? Time in the Word Read Psalm 127:2 and Ecclesiastes 4:6. Where are you on the rest scale? What’s the difference between being busy and being productive? Do you enjoy hard work? Why or why not? Do you think these verses are addressing a season of life or a lifestyle? Final Thought Do you lead a balanced life? How do you assess that? Spend time this week seeking God’s wisdom on where you may be out of balance. October 6/7, 2012
Transcript
The purpose of the church is to bring glory to God.
Love God • Love People • Make Disciples
Worship - lifting up the name of the Lord Jesus ChristConnect - living in community, loving and supporting one anotherGrow - equipping believers to live in obedience to God’s WordServe - helping people discover and use their God-given talentsReach - transforming lives and communities with the good news of Jesus Christ
Latest news and eventsAudio messages and sermon notes
Information about our ministries
Contact Information
small groupsDiscussion Questions
OpeningDo you think this generation of fast food,
internet shopping and suburbia is busier than generations in the past? Support your answer. How does it impact our lives, relationships and culture?
DiscussionWhat are the benefits of a balanced life? Are
those benefits compelling/motivating? What other influences are strong enough to compete with having a balanced life?
Is there a difference between contentment and complacency? What behaviors or habits do contented people exhibit? Do contented people experience change in their lives? If so, is it change they initiate or change that is placed on them?
Do you think contented people likely to seek new experiences, friendships or locations? Explain your answer.
Do you seek quiet time? Why? If so, what does it look like? Is it really quiet or is it something else?
Time in the WordRead Psalm 127:2 and Ecclesiastes 4:6.Where are you on the rest scale? What’s the
difference between being busy and being productive?
Do you enjoy hard work? Why or why not?Do you think these verses are addressing a
season of life or a lifestyle?Final ThoughtDo you lead a balanced life? How do you
assess that? Spend time this week seeking God’s wisdom on where you may be out of balance.
October 6/7, 2012
The Balanced LifeSelected ScripturesPastor Rick Countryman
Sermon Notes
On a scale of 1 - 10, how balanced is your life? (Family life / Job life / Spiritual life / Recreational life / Relationship life)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Isaiah 40:12 (NIV)
But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40 (NLT)
7 principles of balance from God’s Word
1. _____________________ my life around Jesus ChristSeek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you
need. Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT)
2. _____________________ the fact that I’m humanBut we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and
not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)
Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work. Ecclesiastes 10:15 (GN)
You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands. Psalm 119:73 (NLT)
3. _____________________ how much work I’ll do each weekRemember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your
ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:8-11 (NLT)
One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”
Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” Mark 2:23-28 (NLT)
4. _____________________ my valuesThen I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors.
But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:4 (NLT)
Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” Luke 12:15 (NLT)
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Matthew 16:26 (NLT)
Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:6 (NLT)
5. _____________________ my inner lifeDon’t look down on me because of my color, because the sun has tanned me. My brothers were
angry with me and made me work in the vineyard. I had no time to care for myself. Song of Solomon 1:6 (GN)
I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. Psalm 119:16 (NLT)
People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4 (NLT)
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16 (NIV)
6. _____________________ my schedule to GodMy future is in your hands. Psalm 31:15 (NLT)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
7. _____________________ the life God has given meWhat do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on
us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 (NLT)
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 14:30 (NIV)
A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life; jealousy rots it away. Proverbs 14:30 (LB)
Memory VersesAnd whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17
Daily Meditations October 6/7
Monday – Begin the day in prayer; meditate on the memory verse.Review the sermon outline and read through all the verses. Through which verse did
God speak to you? Spend time meditating on the verse. What do you sense God saying to you?
Based on the 7 principles from the sermon outline, what changes do you need to make to balance your life?
Tuesday – Begin the day in prayer; meditate on the memory verse.Read Matthew 6:19-21. Where should you NOT store your treasures?
How do you see our culture doing just the opposite?
What does it mean that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also?
What treasures cannot be destroyed or stolen?
What are the treasures of your heart?
Wednesday – Begin the day in prayer; meditate on the memory verse.Read Psalm 1. What should you avoid if you want to be blessed?
What should you do if you want to be blessed?
To what is a blessed person compared?
To what are the wicked compared?
How will you delight in the law of the Lord this week?
Thursday – Begin the day in prayer; meditate on the memory verse.Read Philippians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 6:6-11 and Hebrews 13:5.
What had the apostle Paul learned?
What was the secret behind this?
What did he tell Timothy was the danger in desiring riches?
What should a godly person pursue instead?
What truth leads to contentment?
How can contentment produce a more abundant life?
Friday – Begin the day in prayer; meditate on the memory verse.Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19. About what are those with wealth/riches cautioned? Why?
Where are they to place their hope? Why?
What are the rich commanded to do? Why?
Give examples of being rich in good deeds.
How can you determine if you are putting your hope in wealth?
How would your life be different if you were richer in good deeds?
Personal Reflection & ApplicationAsk yourself the following questions to determine where your heart is:
What do I really want? What do I long for?
Reaching outAsk a spouse or trusted friend in what area your life might need balance.
