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Series Resources

sermon-based study guide

This guide is designed to guide a group discussion around the weekend sermon. You can also use this as an individual, but we highly recommend finding a friend and inviting them to discuss with you. Menlo Church has Life Groups meeting in-person and online using these guides. We’d love to help you find a group.
What you will find in this guide: A discussion guide for groups and individuals. If you are using this as an individual be sure to engage with each question in a journal or simply in your mind as you prayerfully consider what you heard in the sermon and seek to discover what God is inviting you to know and do.

For the Bay | Choosing Joy over Comparison

Date: November 24, 2024
Series: FOR the Bay
Title: Choosing Gratitude Over Attitude"

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Connect

  • When you hear the word joy, what comes to mind? Do you see it as a momentary feeling, a lasting sense of peace, or something entirely different?
  • Have you ever felt like you were running on a treadmill, chasing after something you thought would bring fulfillment, only to find it out of reach? What was it, and how did it shape your perspective on joy or contentment?

Engage

Read: Philippians 4:4-7; Nehemiah 8:10; Galatians 5:22

  • When you think about Jesus, do you see Him as a source of joy?
  • Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." How have you experienced God’s joy sustaining you in difficult seasons?
  • How can we make space in our lives to experience God’s presence more deeply?

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Apply

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  • Think of a current hardship you’re facing. If you were to view this situation through James 1:2, what lessons or growth opportunities might it hold? Write one practical way you can trust God’s purpose in it.
  • Set aside a specific time each day to pause, pray, and present your anxieties to God (Philippians 4:6-7). How might this practice help guard your heart and mind with God’s peace?
  • Consider one way you can embody joy for someone else this week—whether through a kind word, act of service, or simply being present. Who comes to mind, and what will you do?

Prayer

  • Thank God for being the source of lasting joy and strength in our lives.
  • Pray for the Holy Spirit to cultivate joy in your heart, even in the midst of challenges or suffering.
  • Lift up the Bay Area, asking that Menlo Church might be a community that reflects the joy of the Lord to a weary world.
  • Share personal prayer requests with your group, and commit to supporting each other in prayer throughout the week.

Going Deeper

Menlo Midweek Podcast
Explore further insights and practical applications from this week’s message. [Listen here]

Outreach Opportunities
Discover ways to serve and bring joy to others in your community. [Find out here]

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