Our goal, as a church family, is that we would all be OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same.
What does it mean for you, personally, to be outrageously loving?
Have you ever known a person who met someone, fell in love and became uncharacteristically sappy? This is what happens when a person is conquered by Love. Something shifts on the inside that changes behavior from the heart.
When you are conquered by God’s love it transforms your disposition from the inside out. It is God’s will that we all become uncharacteristically Christ-like allowing his love to flow through our surrendered lives. Salvation is the surrender to our conquering King, Jesus.
Romans 5:10 …while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son… NIV
We were enemies of God. Our surrender makes us sons. Once we are adopted into the family, we must purpose the mindset of our conquering king.
Romans 8:7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. NIV
Do you think you might have any carnal attitudes hiding in there, quietly, trying not to be discovered? Inner hostilities exist so deep within me that only God can truly address them when I bring myself before him in a posture of surrender. If God doesn’t address them then they will go unaddressed and gradually, slowly but ultimately take control.
In God’s Kingdom where everything centers around a cross, we learn that death is what leads to life. It is our deep conviction that EVERYONE IS CREATED FOR ABUNDANT LIFE!
John 10:10b "...I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]." Amplified
Interestingly the first part of this verse says the devil wants to steal, kill and destroy your life. Jesus came so the devil wouldn’t kill you but he demonstrated how you must die, if you want to truly live.
This is why Paul wrote, “I die daily” in 1 Cor 15:31.
It is the death of these hostile tendencies that releases the life of Christ within us. If we refuse to be conquered these hostilities arise at some of the most unexpected and inconvenient times.
To be unkind to others is to be unconquered by God.
Jesus is more loving than we are. When we truly surrender to Him, He will then begin to love others through your surrender.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not the expression of morality on behalf of Christ. The Gospel is about the presence of God shaping our lives from the inside out because we’ve died to ourselves.
Love is patient. Love is kind. Jesus is patient. Jesus is kind.
When Lawrence is dead, Lawrence is patient and Lawrence is kind. When Lawrence remains unconquered, I’m completely capable of being impatient, unkind and rude.
To be unkind is to be unconquered. Once I stopped by a person’s house who attends our church. As I knocked on the door I suddenly heard a very intense voice from inside screaming at the kids telling them to shut up! The person had no idea who was at the door and when they opened the door their face went from a frustrated disposition to the sweetest expression in just one second.
My presence apparently was enough to conquer an attitude. How much more would His presence impact this person’s life? We all have our moments without a doubt. However, a deeper awareness of his presence can lessen those moments significantly. Practicing God’s presence addresses things deep within our hearts.
Missing my quiet time for me produces attitudes and perspective that leave me unconquered by his Love. I start talking about myself a lot, a secret search for praise seems to be awakened, there is a lessening of love and consideration for others, easier feelings of irritability arise and a general inward feeling of unease. When I’m missing my quiet time, I find it more difficult to concentrate on Scripture and prayer and I have an overall lack of peace. All of this brings a greater understanding to Jesus’ words in John 15.
John 15:4-8 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Begin praying for those God has entrusted to your 5’ circle in life. Write their names down and pray that God would draw them deeper into His Love. Be willing to be used by God to encourage them in their faith journey and consider inviting them to church with you.
It is never too late to be what you might have been. Your decisions determine your destiny. It is the ability to choose that separates mankind from all other creative order.
Jesus spent 40 days in wilderness. Moses spent 40 days on mountain. Disciples 40 days w Jesus after his Resurrection.
It seems that God uses a 40-day period to introduce us to new seasons at times. Let’s press in for these first 40 days of the year very intentionally believing for a new season of “Abundant Life” to break forth.
Seek God personally
Seek God corporately / Discover Destiny, Community Groups, Tuesday morning 6am Prayer
Loving, Serving and Giving as Worship to the Lord.
Take others with you on your journey of faith by loving them well.
OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: As a church family we want to be OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same.
Our 2022 New Year’s Revelation as a church family is EVERYONE IS CREATED FOR ABUNDANT LIFE! Much will flow from heaven into our hearts and homes this year!
The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy but realize the aim of death is not to kill you but to keep you from the fullness of life until you die. Distraction is destruction of what could have been in your life.
John 10:10b “...I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” Amplified
Jesus came demonstrating that true life is discovered in a willing death. When we die to ourselves we learn what it means to be alive in Christ.
God’s plan is for us to hear his voice together as a family. This is why we start each group with the first question:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God? Share your New Year’s Revelation for 2022 if you have one.
Ask each person in your group to answer the discussion questions below after reading the verses. Don’t move on to the next question until everybody who is willing to share has had the opportunity to give their perspective.
JOHN 15:4-8 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Have each person give a 60 second summary of what these verses are saying, in their own words.
What do these verses teach us about God?
What do these verses teach us about people?
What should you do this week in response to what we are reading and what God is revealing?
Who comes to mind when considering a person you might share this with this week?
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Begin praying for those God has entrusted to your 5’ circle in life. Write their names down and pray that God would draw them deeper into His Love. Be willing to be used by God to encourage them in their faith journey and consider inviting them to church with you.