Week 7: Chapter 6

Week 7: Chapter 6

Ice Breaker:

Challenge Review(groups of 2-3):

Share your experience with intentionally maintaining contact with other believers this week to encourage and be encouraged.  If you didn’t get to experience that, talk about what kept you from engaging in those relationships and if you want to experience that accountability what your next steps are.

Prime the Pump:

Chapter 6 Video

Discussion/Prayer:

“If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?”

1. How often do you think of God as more of a concept rather than a real person? Which is more of a struggle for you: intimacy with God or reverence for God?
2. We all have ‘baggage’ that we tote around with us and toss into our various relationships. What kind of baggage do you bring to your relationship with God?

Read Galatians 5:13-14

“When we love we’re free! We don’t have to worry about a burdensome load of commands, because when we are loving, we can’t sin. “

3. Does your relationship with God resemble a ‘love’ relationship? Why or why not?

“God wants to change us; He died so that we could change.  The answer lies in letting Him change you.”

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

4. Why do you think God created us? What is our ultimate purpose (in your own words)? How did you come to this conclusion?

“When loving Him becomes obligation, one of many things we have to do, we end up focusing even more on ourselves. No wonder so few people want to hear from us about what we ourselves feel is a boring, guilt-ridden chore!”

5. What happens when we “try harder” not to be lukewarm?

“When I look at my relationship with God as a chore, a sacrifice, then I am getting the glory-not God.  I keep saying, ‘Look what I have sacrificed for God...’

6. When we see our relationship with God as a chore or a sacrifice how does that affect what we give Him? What can you give God?

Read John 10:10

“The fact is I need God to help me love God.  And if I need His help to love Him, a perfect being, I definitely need His help to love other, fault filled humans….The Holy Spirit has to move in our lives.”

7. What makes it so difficult to admit we need God’s help? What keeps you from asking God for His help?
8. List 2-4 of your “light and momentary” struggles. Do they feel “light and momentary”? How are you handling them? Or, are they handling you? Is God showing you anything in these struggles? Are you even looking to move in His direction?

“If you really want to experience God’s supernatural provision, then do as He says.  Test Him. Give more than you can manage, and see how He responds.”

9. How have you demonstrated you’ve trusted God in the decisions you’ve made? What’s scary about trusting God?

Individual Challenge:

Write out and confess the things you struggle with by putting them first in your life over Christ.  Ask Jesus to change your heart and to desire and want to be closer to Him and to find contentment and thankfulness with what He’s given you.