God is inviting us to a deeper place with him where he’s joining our hearts relationally with others on purpose! This is a place where we learn to value these relationships as if they were connected to our very own destiny because they are connected to our very own destiny! Viewing God-given connections from an eternal perspective changes things!
Romans 12:3-5 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another. NIV
John 17:11 I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one. NIV
There is this spiritual joining of our lives that Paul describes as being members of one another. Jesus then describes this joining together in unity as the same joining together of unity between Jesus and the Father. This requires humility and unity that results from the eternal priorities of God resulting in a sacrificial lifestyle. This kind of relationship is where God has commanded “blessing and life forever more”!
Psalm 133:1-3 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!...For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. ESV
The collective wisdom of God is discovered in the community of God’s family and this is why unity is so important.
Who you surround yourself truly matters! Recently I heard a young man describing his experience on a mission trip. Two van loads of young adults were driving up the side of a mountain to a village where they would share the love of Jesus. As his van made its way up the mountainside people shared their favorite joke. Ultimately the ride turned into \a “knock-knock” joke competition. As they pulled up to the village everyone poured out of their van full of laughter.
The second van pulled up and their ride had been very different. As they began their journey up the mountain someone began to pray. The presence of God filled the van in such a powerful way that they described the drive as a drive of tears and prayers. This young man described how he felt getting out of a van that had been so surface feeling deprived of great substance the others had purposed to experience.
We all must make sure we surround ourselves with those who are on the same mission that we are!
We are all part of the bigger story of God and in this story, we begin to realize how we are part of the eternal plans and purposes of God. A deeper narrative exists within all of us. We are all created to experience This Garden where we know God intimately and interact with Him conversationally. In this place we discover deep and meaningful friendship and a joining of our lives realizing it is not good for man to be alone. Even in our brokenness God is working to restore and rescue us. In his image we discover our design to build some form of an Ark to help and even rescue others.
As we journey forward God invites us to explore the reality of a Ladder that exists between heaven and earth revealing how God’s presence can come into any place in which we dwell. The house of God is the gate of heaven. We are the house of God. We are the gates of heaven. Lift up your heads oh ye gates that the king of glory may come in.
This is where we begin to explore a greater place of promise realizing we were born to conquer giants and to tear down strongholds that no longer have the power to keep us from all God desires for us to possess.
Jesus is alive and so are we; truly alive. This abundant life is available for everyone who accepts God’s invitation to go deeper with Him.
Daniel 11:32 “…the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out (do) great exploits.” NKJV
Know God! Be Strong! Do great things! This Hebrew word for, “know” is the same word used when describing how Adam “knew” eve and she conceived. A changed life begins and is sustained through intimacy with God and with God’s family.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Spend intentional time this week praying for someone you know to be a God-appointed relationship in your life.
DEEPER Relationships
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
We are all part of the bigger story of God: A deeper narrative exists within us. We are all created to experience The Garden where we know God and interact with Him intimately. In this place we discover deep and meaningful friendship and relationship realizing it is not good for man to be alone. Even in our brokenness God is working to restore us and rescue us. In his image we discover our design to build an Ark to help rescue others. Promises are awakened within us even if we feel we may be too old or question being qualified or capable in any way. As we journey forward God invites us to explore the reality of a Ladder between heaven and earth revealing how God’s presence exists in any place even if we didn’t realize it at first.
We explore a greater place of promise realizing we were born to conquer giants and strongholds that try to keep us from all God says is ours. God keeps bringing us back over and over again as often as we need to be reminded of His ways. Jesus is alive and so are we. True life is discovered as we grow deeper in Christ.
Philippians 3:10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him... (AMP)
Daniel 11:32 “…the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” NKJV
God’s plan is for us to hear his voice together as a family. This is why we start each group with this question first:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
Ask each person in your group to answer the discussion questions below after reading the verses. Realize there is great power in just reading the Bible together and allowing the Holy Spirit to awaken his conversational nature in the group.
Romans 12:3-5 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another. NIV
John 17:11 I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one. NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
2. Have each person give a 60 second summary of what these verses are saying, in their own words.
3. What do these verses teach us about God?
4. What do these verses teach us about people?
5. What should you do this week in response to what we are reading and what God is revealing?
6. Who comes to mind when considering a person you might share this with this week?
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Spend intentional time this week praying for someone you know to be a God-appointed relationship in your life.