Read: Philippians 1:3-11; 1 Kings 19:1-9; Matthew 4:1-12

Paul is writing to a group of believers that has seen persecution and transitions, but his prayer is not that their burdens would be taken away or that they would get through another day. No, he prays that they will keep growing. It’s easy to stop doing that when our lives are consumed with the stress of today and the worry of tomorrow, and yet we see that having a long-term perspective actually helps us to navigate the hard situations we find ourselves in. When we keep growing, we realize that God is not just in the business of helping us but empowering us to accomplish great things for Him

In scripture we see God show up to people who are in distress. They come to Him broken, and He restores them. But there is always a purpose behind these encounters. God loves his children, and He wants to bless them, but the strength and hope they get is not just meant to make them feel better. It’s to empower them to keep growing and accomplish His plan in the world.

So what do we grow in?

1. UNDERSTANDING: There is always more to learn. There is more to myself, to God and to the world than I currently understand, so God invites us to keep growing in our knowledge
2. LOVE: If we don’t have love, nothing we do matters. It’s God’s love that transforms us, heals us and empowers us to live on mission. Experiencing God’s love once is not enough. We need to grow in it, letting it overflow more and more in our lives

When we are full of God’s love, our life with Jesus becomes an adventure. The struggles and hard times we walk through become testimonies that encourage others. Our love for others shows the lost world around us that Jesus really is God and that He really has got this. May we be people who are ever growing in God’s love!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Where is most of your attention these days? (problems, the future, social media, etc.) Has focusing on that been helpful or harmful?
2. Do you feel like you’re growing? If so, in what areas? If not, why not?
3. When was the last time you experienced the love of God? How did it change you?
4. Who is someone you could show God’s love to this week?

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📍 English Worship Jogja | A place to encounter God, grow in community, and walk in purpose.

🔗 Website: ewjogja.com
📸 Instagram: @ewjogja

God’s Got This! Even when we don’t.

Philippians 1:6 NLT

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

God is the one who is continuing the work. He is the one who is carrying it forward until it is finished. This work is not sustained by me or my capabilities. My strength will come and go, my motivation will ebb and flow, and there will be plot twists that will take my breath away, and through it all, God is carrying his people and his work forward until the day Jesus returns.

Read: 2 Corinthians 12:5-10

Paul, somewhat sarcastically, points out how ridiculous it is to boast in our strength. We would be better off (and more accurate) if we boasted in our weaknesses instead. In fact, our weakness is an opportunity for God to show up and show off in powerful ways.

God is not surprised by our weakness..

God is not impressed by our strength.

The story has always been about him making a way when there didn’t seem to be a way.

In a world that tells us it all depends on us, what does Jesus say?

Read: Matthew 11:28-30

God’s got this! And I can trust that he is a good and loving LORD who holds it all together.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why do you think we try to carry everything on our own shoulders?
2. What are the areas in your life that you are relying on your own strength instead of God’s?
3. What would it look like for you to live a life of true surrender and deep trust in God?
4. Jesus invites us to come to him and he will show us how to take a real rest, to teach us how to live freely and lightly. How would you like to respond to Jesus’ invitation this week?
5. How can we respond to Jesus’ invitation as a community?

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📍 English Worship Jogja | A place to encounter God, grow in community, and walk in purpose.

🔗 Website: ewjogja.com
📸 Instagram: @ewjogja

When we step up and step in, God shows up and shows off!

Philippians 1:6 NLT

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

God is not finished yet. What God starts, He continues, and He will finish. Seasons may change, leaders may change, but God’s work does not stop. Pain, loss, and waiting often become the places where God refines us and prepares us for great purposes.

Read: Joshua 3:1-5

Standing at the edge of the Jordan River, the People of God faced an impossible situation - behind them the wilderness, ahead of them the promise, and between them a flooded river. Before God performed the miracle, Joshua gave a surprising command: “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Consecration means setting yourself apart for God.

Consecration is positioning ourselves for what God is about to do.

Who wants to do amazing things for God? We all do, right?! But it’s kind of a trick question.

It’s not our job to do amazing things… that’s God’s job. Our job is to consecrate ourselves. And consecration always ends in the amazing.

As we step up and step in, we believe God will continue the good work He started… He’s not finished yet.

God’s Got This!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What does “consecration” look like in real life? Are there areas of your life that are hard to fully surrender to God?
2. The Israelites had to step toward the river before it parted. What’s a “Jordan River” you’re facing right now that requires faith before clarity?
3. Why do you think God often asks for preparation before providing the miracle? What might He be shaping in us during the waiting?
4. Philippians 1:6 says God is not finished yet. Where do you struggle to believe that God is still working in you?
5. How can we trust God - and step up - when leadership or circumstances change?

Support the show

📍 English Worship Jogja | A place to encounter God, grow in community, and walk in purpose.

🔗 Website: ewjogja.com
📸 Instagram: @ewjogja