Life Group - Study Guides

No matter our life situations, we all have hurts, hang-ups, and habits which cause pain. Yours may be scars from an abusive childhood or relationship. You may have been betrayed or abandoned by a friend. You may suffer from addictions or situations such as financial struggles. Grief may be almost incapacitating you right now. God is near and asks you to come to Him for help.

Our Mission Statement: “At The Cove Church, we will Introduce our friends to Jesus, Learn to follow Him, and Celebrate His Presence in our lives.” If you belong to our church family, this is a commitment we ask you to make. It’s not just what the pastors or the staff do. At The Cove, we make it easy for you to invite, to say, “come and see” so that they meet Jesus. Learn how this week.

As Jesus prayed for us, all the believers who would come to faith in him until the world ends, He prayed for unity. He prayed that we would love one another. In fact, He commanded we love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34). In a world filled with division and anger, how do we remain loving and unified, embracing reconciliation and restoration?

Just as you are born with natural abilities and aptitudes, you are gifted at your spiritual new birth. The Spirit of God comes to live inside every believer and the Spirit also gives each one a gift. It is part of our lives’ purpose: to know and grow in our gifts, using them for the benefit of the Body of Christ and bringing glory to God.

Sometimes, we fall into thinking that all believers live an empowered life, hearing from God every day on every issue. We can become discouraged when this is not our experience. In reality, we are now the equivalent of the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant. The Holy Spirit does reside in us. Could it be that we are not positioning ourselves to experience God fully?

Now that we know Who the Spirit is, how do we interact with Him? How do we sense His leading or redirection? Let’s discuss how we can distinguish His voice from our “gut feelings” and human desires.

Between the Last Supper and the betrayal in the Garden of Olives, John records four complete chapters of Jesus’ teachings. He tries to prepare His disciples for His death. He prays for the disciples and for all believers who will come after, including us. Jesus promises that He will be with us always and goes on to explain His Holy Spirit will be given to us to help us in many ways. Let’s look at this Advocate who is promised to us.

You may have had an experience where you were confronted with an anti-Christianity worldview. Maybe that was when you went off to college; or you grew up in a non-religious household; or you are challenged because of your faith every single week at work. These conversations have the potential to shake our faith. Have you moved beyond those initial doubts and researched your own faith? Can we really trust in an Eternal God and still believe the scientific facts we see right before us? Are faith and science mutually exclusive?

Sometimes life is easy and fun. Other times, it is heartbreaking. In those difficult times, we can doubt God, His goodness, and His power. Sometimes we feel as if God has turned His back on us. How could a good God allow such terrible things to happen? This week, let’s discuss how suffering and a good God are not mutually exclusive.

We are all looking for provision, maybe even a miracle. Mary and Jesus were attending a wedding as mother and son when a problem came up. Let’s look at the first recorded miracle and the way that Jesus’ mother depended upon and expected provision from Him. We might just learn the recipe for faith in the process.