Northstar Pulaski Podcast

Formation questions and Rule of Life practices for Matthew 21-25:SURRENDERED TO JESUS:1. Where am I welcoming Jesus as Savior, while resisting His authority (as Lord) to confront and reorder my life?2. What area of my life creates an appearance of spiritual fruit without producing repentance, justice, mercy, or faithfulness?3. If Jesus returned today, what unfinished act of surrender or obedience in my life would become immediately clear?SENT ON MISSION:1. Who do I know that has not heard the Good News of Jesus, and/or does not seem to care about it?2. What resource, opportunity, relationship, or skill has Jesus give me for to impact His Kingdom?3. How do I typically handle or respond to peer and/or cultural pressure when it comes to how I love and live like Jesus? COMMITTED TO ONE ANOTHER:1. Does our community help people carry burdens, or do we place expectations upon them without support?2. Where might we be emphasizing minor religious/legalstic concerns while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness?3. Who is hungry, lonely, displaced, sick, overlooked, or imprisoned whom we can love tangibly this week?B.O.L.D. living Rule of Life practices:BE WITH & BLESS OTHERS:>> Choose one person experiencing hunger, loneliness, illness, displacement, or confinement>> Offer your presence and one practical expression of careOBSERVE & OBEY THE HOLY SPIRIT:>> Ask Jesus to reveal one area of religious appearance without Kingdom fruit in your life>> Respond with a specific act of repentance or obedienceLOVE & LIVE LIKE JESUS:>> Identify one resource Jesus has entrusted to you—time, money, influence, hospitality, knowledge, or opportunity—and put it to work for His Kingdom this weekDEMONSTRATE & DECLARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD:>> Extend a personal invitation to someone outside your usual circle>> Share a meal, listen to their story, and explain naturally why the hope of Jesus matters to you

Formation questions and Rule of Life practices from Matthew 26-28:SURRENDERED TO JESUS:1. How often do I tend to look to Jesus based on what He can do for me…rather surrendering to Him simply because He is enough?2. What area of my life do I need to surrender to Jesus and wholeheartedly pray, “Not my will, but Yours, Jesus?”3. When I know I have ‘missed the mark,’ do I move toward Jesus for grace, or isolate myself in shame?SENT ON MISSION:1. Who is the Holy Spirit nudging me to demonstrate the love and hope of Jesus toward (outside of my typical friend group)?2. What kinds of risks have I taken in the last week (or  month) to love and live like Jesus?3. What is keeping me from living tangibly on mission, regardless of current life situation, even though Jesus promises us His authority and presence?COMMITTED TO ONE ANOTHER:1. Are we building a community where struggling and failing people can be restored rather than ignored?2. How am I personally investing in my community, and using my God-given gifts, to foster this kind of restoration?3. How can our community become more intentional about pursuing forgiveness, conflict resolution, humility, transparency, and sacrificial love? (and there are no issues with any of these, it may because your community is not deep enough to really experience them yet0B.O.L.D. living Rule of Life practices:BE WITH & BLESS OTHERS:>> Spend intentional time this week with someone who is grieving, anxious, or carrying a heavy burden, and resist the urge to fix the situation>> Stay present, listen, and pray with them OBSERVE & OBEY THE HOLY SPIRIT:>> Begin each morning with Jesus’ prayer: “Not my will, but Yours”>> Identify one area where obedience feels costly and take one tangible step of surrenderLOVE & LIVE LIKE JESUS:>> Read Matthew 26–28 slowly throughout the week and notice how Jesus responds to betrayal, injustice, suffering, and failure>> Choose one relationship in which you can imitate His truthfulness, restraint, forgiveness, or sacrificial loveDEMONSTRATE & DECLARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD:>> Pray for and initiate one spiritual conversation with someone this week >> Take a chance just to share how your life has changed because of Jesus

Here are the Formation Questions from Matthew 11-15, along with our B.O.L.D. living Rule of Life challenges to prayerfully practice throughout the week.SURRENDERED TO JESUS:▶️ Where has Jesus failed to meet my expectations, and how might He be inviting me to trust Him more deeply?▶️ What burden am I carrying that belongs under His yoke rather than on my shoulders?▶️ What competing desire may be choking the growth of God’s word in me?SENT ON MISSION:▶️ Who might our assumptions or traditions cause us to overlook?▶️ Where can I bring Jesus’ mercy into someone’s grief, fear, or scarcity?COMMITTED TO ONE ANOTHER:▶️ Are we using truth to restore people or merely to evaluate them?▶️ How can our community make room for honest questions without losing confidence in Jesus?B.O.L.D. LIVING RULE OF LIFE:BE WITH & BLESS OTHERS:▶️ Spend time with someone carrying grief, disappointment, or doubt▶️ Listen before (or maybe without) offering answersOBSERVE & OBEY THE HOLY SPIRIT:▶️ Ask the Spirit to reveal one tradition, expectation, or inner desire that may be causing me to resist fully submitting to JesusLOVE & LIVE LIKE JESUS:▶️ Choose one parable from Matthew 13▶️ Identify what response it calls for and practice that response this weekDEMONSTRATE & DECLARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD:▶️ Offer one resource—time, food, money, prayer, or attention—to someone facing scarcity

FORMATION QUESTIONSSURRENDERED TO JESUS:▶️ Where am I more concerned with appearing faithful than being honest with the Father?▶️ What worry, possession, or ambition competes with my trust in God’s Kingdom?▶️ What teaching of Jesus have I heard but not yet obeyed?SENT ON MISSION:▶️ Who might Jesus be inviting me to see with compassion rather than judgment?▶️ Where can I speak words about the Kingdom while extending mercy in practical ways?COMMITTED TO ONE ANOTHER:▶️ Are we creating a community where people experience both genuine welcome and genuine transformation?▶️ How can we help one another remain faithful when following Jesus becomes costly or risky?B.O.L.D. LIVING RULE OF LIFE:BE WITH & BLESS OTHERS:▶️ Share a meal or meaningful conversation with someone who may feel overlooked or excluded this weekOBSERVE & OBEY THE HOLY SPIRIT:▶️ Ask each morning, “Father, what are You asking me to trust or obey today?” ▶️ Act upon one clear responseLOVE & LIVE LIKE JESUS:▶️ Choose one teaching from Matthew 6–7 and practice it intentionally throughout the weekDEMONSTRATE & DECLARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD:▶️ Pray for someone’s need and connect that prayer with a tangible act of compassion

REFLECTION QUESTIONS...SURRENDERED TO JESUS+ Is God's presence becoming my greatest desire, or have I settled for simply wanting His blessings?+ Where is Jesus patiently reshaping my heart to reflect His justice, mercy, holiness, and love?SENT ON MISSION:+ How is Jesus inviting me to become a bridge that helps someone else draw closer to God?+ How does my treatment of the vulnerable, overlooked, or difficult people around me reflect the justice and compassion of Jesus?+ Is there a relationship in my life that Jesus is inviting me to pursue reconciliation?COMMITTED TO ONE ANOTHER:+ How can our church become known more for the presence of Jesus than for our personalities, preferences, or programs?+ Who can I invite around a table with me this week, to strengthen and/or restore our relationship with each other?🔄 B.O.L.D. LIVING 'RULE OF LIFE':BE WITH & BLESS OTHERS+ Share a meal with someone outside your normal circle+ Practice biblical hospitality by listening well and making space for meaningful conversationOBSERVE & OBEY THE HOLY SPIRIT+ Spend five minutes each morning asking one simple question: "Jesus, how are You inviting me to experience Your presence today?"+ Respond with one concrete act of obedience, even if it feels costly LOVE & LIVE LIKE JESUS+ Choose one relationship where you've been tempted toward retaliation, avoidance, or indifference+ Take one intentional step toward reconciliation or gracious engagementDEMONSTRATE & DECLARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD+ Look for one opportunity this week to demonstrate God's justice and compassion in a tangible way...Meet a practical need, or speak up for a person whose voice is being ignored+ Be prepared to explain that your motivation comes from following Jesus

REFLECTION QUESTIONSSURRENDERED TO JESUS:➡️  Where am I struggling to trust God for today's provision and instead demanding future certainty?➡️  What current difficulty is causing me to question God's presence?➡️  Is my obedience motivated by gratitude for God's grace or by an attempt to earn His approval?➡️  Do I approach God with both intimacy and reverence?SENT ON MISSION:➡️  Where is God calling me to step forward in faith rather than waiting for perfect conditions?➡️  How might God want to use my current challenges to strengthen my witness and dependence on Him?➡️  How can I help others see God's faithfulness in difficult seasons?COMMITTED TO ONE ANOTHER:➡️  How have I been helping carry the burdens of others? (i.e. prayer, reaching out, practical support, etc)➡️  Where is God inviting me to partner with others rather than carry everything myself?➡️  Do I create healthy shared responsibility, or do I contribute to unhealthy dependency?➡️  How am I helping to cultivate a community marked by trust, confession, reverence, and obedience?INTEGRATED (B.O.L.D. LIVING):➡️ BE WITH & BLESS OTHERS → Support someone who is carrying a heavy burden. Offer practical help, encouragement, or simply your presence➡️  OBSERVE & OBEY THE HOLY SPIRIT → Each morning this week, ask: "Lord, what does trusting You today look like?" Then act on the first clear prompting➡️  LOVE AND LIVE LIKE JESUS → Practice daily dependence. Instead of worrying about future outcomes, intentionally thank Jesus for one provision He has given you today➡️  DEMONSTRATE & DECLARE THE KINGDOM → Share with someone how God has provided, guided, or sustained you through a difficult season. Use your story to point them toward Jesus

REFLECTION QUESTIONS from Exodus 11-15:SURRENDERED TO JESUS...> Where am I struggling with God’s justice in my life right now? (Am I ready and willing to confess and surrender my confusion, anger, or discomfort with God to Him in prayer this week?)> Is there a situation in my life right now that God may be using to deepen my dependence in Him? (What is one faithful step I can take to begin trusting Him with the outcome?)SENT ON MISSION...> What part of my story can I share with someone this week to be a source of encouragement to them? > What is God calling me to do that I have been putting off, honestly due to a lack of trust in Him?COMMITTED TO ONE ANOTHER...> Do I tend to help cultivate worship and gratitude in community? (What is one way I can bring gratitude, worship, or celebration wherever I am?)> How do I respond when others are fearful or complaining? (When someone around me is fearful or frustrated, how can I respond with patience, truth, and hope instead of joining the negativity?)

Reflection questions related to our B.O.L.D. living Rule of Life:> Be with & Bless others: What excuses am I using to avoid or ignore opportunities to practically serve or extend love to a neighbor (co-worker; stranger; etc) this week?> Observe & Obey the Holy Spirit: Where might God be calling me to trust Him this week, rather than trying to control things on my own?> Love and Live like Jesus: How am I trusting God's presence more than my abilities?> Demonstrate & Declare the Kingdom: How can I help cultivate a culture of faithfulness in my family and community this week?

Reflection questions for our B.O.L.D. living Rule of Life:> Be with & Bless others -- Where is God inviting me to invest in future generations?> Observe & Obey the Holy Spirit -- Where is God leading me to trust beyond what I can see?> Love & Live like Jesus -- Do I extend forgiveness consistently, or only when it feels deserved?> Demonstrate & Declare the Kingdom of God -- Is my identity rooted in God’s promises—or my present circumstances?

Reflection questions for our B.O.L.D. Living Rule of Life:> Be with & Bless others -- Am I using influence to serve or to secure myself?> Observe & Obey the Holy Spirit -- Do I see my story as part of God’s mission for others?> Love and live like Jesus -- Do I extend grace in a way that reflects God’s grace toward me?> Demonstrate & Declare the Kingdom of God -- Does my life reflect confidence in God’s sovereignty, regardless of my circumstances?

Reflective questions from Genesis 36-40, integrated into our B.O.L.D. living "Rule of Life"> Be with & Bless others:  Am I blessing others even when I feel overlooked or mistreated?>Observe & Obey the Holy Spirit:  Am I willing to speak truth (with grace), even when it’s difficult or costs me something? (baker’s outcome)>Love & Live like Jesus:  Am I present enough to notice when others are troubled and need care, even in the midst of my own hardship? >Demonstrate & Declare the Kingdom:  Does my life reflect trust in God’s presence regardless of circumstance?

Questions to consider from our Rule of Life of B.O.L.D. living:Be with & bless others --- Where is God calling me to step into tension, even when relationships are complicated or messy?Observe & obey --- What am I “holding onto” that represents security apart from God?Love & live like Jesus --- How do I respond when deeply wronged (grace or revenge)?Demonstrate & declare --- Does my life show evidence of repentance, surrender, and transformed identity in Jesus Christ?

Reflection Questions to consider:Surrendered to Jesus> Where am I tempted to control outcomes instead of trusting God’s promises? (Isaac, Jacob)> Do I tend to justify small compromises because of fear and/or insecurity?> Am I relying more on strategy or surrender in my walk with God?> Where might generational patterns still be shaping me (fear, deception, control)?Sent on Mission> When facing conflict, do I fight, flee, or faithfully trust God to provide another way? (Isaac & the wells)> Am I willing to take the “loss” in order to preserve peace and witness?> Where is God inviting me to trust Him to make space instead of forcing it? (ie Rehoboth)> How can I see my everyday environments (work, neighborhood) as places where God is at work this week — even in tension?Committed to One Another> Where might favoritism or comparison be damaging relationships around me? (Isaac/Rebekah, Leah/Rachel)> Am I contributing to unity—or quietly fueling division?> How do I respond when I feel overlooked, unloved, or second place? (Leah)> Am I willing to pursue honest confession and reconciliation, even when it’s costly?