Keeping Score: Part 5-Counting Smaller

September 8th, 2024

MICRO CHURCH GUIDE
September 08, 2024
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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fifteen Year Anniversary Service, September 29th
This year, OneLife turns fifteen years old! We want to celebrate all God has done and look forward to all God is going to do! On Sunday, September 29th, both campuses will be meeting together for one service at 10:30 am at the World’s Fair Exhibition Hall. This will be an amazing Sunday that you don’t want to miss. So mark your calendars and invite a friend to join you!

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Bottom Line: Less is more when God is counting.

Judges 7:2-3

The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.

When I am counting I'm relying on my strength.

Judges 7:4

But the LORD told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.”

God wants total control of what counts.

Judges 7:5-15

When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream. ”Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The LORD told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home. ”So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. That night the LORD said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.” So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!” His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies! ”When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the LORD. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the LORD has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!”

God's ultimate goal is to win my heart.

Judges 7:22

When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

God's count wins every time.

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START TALKING
What are examples of things or experiences where less has been more? How did you discover that too much of a good thing is a bad thing?

START THINKING
Read Judges 6:13-16. How did Gideon's story from the very beginning illustrate this principle that less is more when God is counting? If Gideon or other leaders had counted, would he have ever been in consideration? Why or why not?

Read Judges 7:1-2. What do you notice in these verses about God's plan and way of counting? What was God's motivation? Why do you think the Israelites would have boasted to God if Gideon's army remained large?

Read Judges 7:3-8. What do you think Gideon was feeling as his hard work to assemble an army was dwindled right before his eyes not once but twice?!

START SHARING
When have you experienced something similar to Gideon? When did you see God change the plan you had, the timeline you determined, or the amount of resources that you had? How do you think He was leading you to an experience like Gideon had where God was in total control of the victory?

Read Judges 7:9-11. What does it teach you or us about the character and nature of God as our Father that he acknowledged Gideon's fear and gave him a plan to deal with it? When have you felt fear about doing what God wanted for you and what did God provide to encourage you and help you work through that fear?

START DOING
Read Judges 7:15. The result of Gideon experiencing God in this moment of encouragement was not only worship, but also action. He responded with his heart and then with his hands and feet.

What do you need to bow down and worship God for? What has He done and provided for you, even if it seems counter intuitive, that proves his love and faithfulness to you?

Now what do you need to do to act? What is the changed plan, timeline, resource, etc. that God wants to use and prove that His way is better than your way?

START PRAYING
Pray for each of us in the microchurch to allow God total control to change what counts in our lives. Pray that we will trust Him when he whittles us down to a place that all we can do is trust Him. Pray that the result of this will be not just victory for the sake of victory, but so that I experience Him more than ever before. And in turn, those around me will also experience Jesus like never before.
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CONNECTION CARDS
Be sure to fill out the online Connection Card to let us know next steps, prayer requests, or other information you'd like to share, click here.
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MULTIPLICATION
Share spiritual/missional conversations you've had where you live, work, and play:
- Who did you have a conversation with that took a spiritual/missional turn this week?
- What questions did you ask to discover where God is at work in their life, even if they are not aware?
- How were you able to share your story of life change or how you have experienced Jesus?
- How can you be intentional this week with people where you live, work, and play to have spiritual/missional conversations if the opportunity arises?
- Who in your life do you think could be disciple-able or open to spiritual/missional conversations?
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WHAT'S NEXT?
- Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?/giveback/giveback
- Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?

Posted in Micro Church Guides