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Going after God’s heart
(A tale of two kings)

Opening Prayer and Worship

Big Idea:
Like King David, we are called to be men and women whose hearts are fully given to God. Life is no longer about our will, but instead we seek God’s will and lay it all down for His purposes as we obediently follow His plans.

Summary:
King David is the poster-child of what it means to have a heart for God. The life of David is a beautiful picture of love, forgiveness, faith, and the complete abandoned pursuit of God. There are three things that we can learn from David’s life about what it takes to be someone after God’s heart. First, we see that David had a sincere desire to be close to God. Like any relationship, closeness occurs when we spend time with someone. How can we become close to God without spending time with Him? God has given us His Word, prayer, meditation, and fasting as means of growing closer with Him. Scripture shows us that having a heart after God can actually be cultivated. As you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you and your heart will be changed. If you are sincerely open, God will renew a right spirit within you.

A second thing we learn from David is the importance of integrity. Integrity is who we are at the core of our being; it is about doing the right thing for the right reason. Integrity before God is about freely doing His will out of love, respect, and obedience. This can never be faked because God judges the heart of man. So, chase after God with a pure heart. Finally, David shows us the immense value of being a worshipper of God. David was consumed with the need to be in God’s presence. Therefore, he delighted in worshipping God. Worshipping God helps direct our hearts and our minds away from ourselves and toward God. Worshipping God helps kill selfishness, jealousy, and the desires of the flesh. Intentional worship of God prevents the unintentional worship of other things.

You can become a David. You can become a person after God’s heart. 

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

James 4:7-8
What are ways in which we can draw near to God? How does sin and disobedience pull us away from God?

1 Samuel 16:7
Ultimately, where is integrity measured? Give examples of how you can do something that looks right, but actually lacks integrity. How does obedience to the commands of Christ relate to a Christian’s integrity?

John 4:24
What do you think it means to worship God in spirit and in truth? How is this similar to the greatest commandment found in Mark 12:30? Discuss different ways we can worship the Lord.

Taking Action: Like David, ask God to search your heart and reveal any selfish and wrong motives. Be open to what the Holy Spirit reveals and be willing to change. Remember, a person after God’s heart is a repentant person. Finally, become a worshipper and spend time in God’s Word where He will reveal Himself to you and you can become close to Him.

Ministry Time

Printer friendly copies of curriculum - LifeGroup Curriculum - December 21, 2008

Advent 2008: Imagine - Finding Your Purpose

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship

Big Idea:

God has a purpose for each one of us. In order to find your purpose, you must be willing to accept the unexplainable, to become vulnerable and to enter the supernatural. With God nothing will be impossible.

Summary:

To accomplish his purposes, God seems to choose the unqualified people. Instead of the proud, he chooses the humble; instead of the strong, he chooses the broken; instead of the self-sufficient, he chooses the God-dependent.

Before God can place his word, seed or promise within us, he brings us to place where we see ourselves the way that he sees us. God has protected you, preserved you and prepared you for what he is positioning you for. God has left his treasure in the broken fragmented places in our life.

With God nothing will be impossible. We have not been asked to perform the impossible; we are asked to believe for the impossible. Faith is the key that unlocks the door of the impossible.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Luke 1:26-38

• Have you felt unqualified for what God has called you to?
• How has God spoken to you regarding you feelings of inadequacy?
• How have you made yourself vulnerable in following after Christ?
• How has God revealed his strength in your weakness?
• How as the phrase, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” revealed itself in you life?
• How has faith unlocked the doors of impossibility in your life?

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

• Have you ever felt weak, foolish, lowly, despised and not?
• What does it mean to say that Christ has become our wisdom, righteousness, holiness and redemption?
• How do these verses help us to have a correct self-image?

Taking Action:

Choose to believe the impossible! Believe that God will accomplish in your life and through your life what he has said that he will accomplish. Let it be according to his word. Be who he has called you to be. Do what he has called you to do.

Ministry Time

Printer friendly copies of curriculum - LifeGroup Curriculum - December 14, 2008.

Advent 2008: Imagine - Do Not Be Afraid

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship

Big Idea:

Jesus came into the world to change the course of history, break the power of fear, and free people to believe in the promise and power of the God who loves them and wants to draw near them.

Summary:

Many in the days of Christ’s birth lived in fear and many people today live in stress, anxiety and fear. Fear keeps some of us from living life to the fullest and following our God-given dreams and causes many of us to live in mental, emotional and spiritual fatigue.

In a time of economic uncertainty, global terrorism and civil unrest, many people do not know how to cope if they do not know Jesus. They check out emotionally, build walls, self-medicate and self-destruct. God has called us to trust him to empower us to overcome the things that we fear. Our God is mightier than whatever we fear.

There are some who are fearful of living in a world ruled by the government of God which is filled with righteousness, peace and joy. That fear is sustained by selfishness, pride, stubbornness and rebellion. They are committed to removing Christ from the world in which we live. These people do well to be afraid. They will reap the consequences of their actions and attitudes.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Luke 2:1-11

What frightens you? What part of your life are you afraid to trust God for? In what ways are you a captive to fear? What is holding you back in pursuing your God given dreams?

Psalm 27:1-3

How do you react to this statement, “If you put your trust in God, you have no reason to fear.”? Do you believe that God is strong enough and loving enough to depend on? What is holding you back from trusting him for more?

2 Timothy 1:7

Has God given us a spirit of power and love, and not one of fear? Why do we sometimes choose to walk in fear?

Psalm 2:2-6

What are the consequences to those who choose to set themselves against God? What are the consequences to those who choose to reject the love of God?

Taking Action:

Take your fears to God. Confess your doubts to him. Ask him to increase your faith, your trust and your hope. Ask him to empower you to fulfill your dreams. Ask him to help you look at the unseen and not the seen. Ask him to strengthen you to walk by faith and not by sight.

Ministry Time

Printer friendly copies of curriculum - LifeGroup Curricullum - December 6, 2008.

Advent 2008: Imagine - Peace on Earth

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship

Big Idea:

The birth of Jesus Christ has brought reconciliation. We have been called to be the servants of reconciliation and also the announcers of reconciliation.

Summary:

The sin of Adam and Eve brought irreconcilable differences. The birth of Christ has brought peace and reconciliation. Jesus came to reconcile God and Man, men and women, the spiritual and the material and the Jew and Gentile.

We now have the ministry and the word of reconciliation. We are the servants and the announcers of peace. We cannot reconcile what we have not served and we cannot reconcile what we refuse to embrace.

In order to bring us peace, God had to become man and Jesus had to be numbered among the transgressors. Jesus served those who were hurting, broken, lost and disenfranchised. We must enter the world of the disenfranchised, speak the language of the alienated, and show love to the estranged as we share the message of reconciliation.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Luke 2:8-14; John 1:1-2, 14

What is the importance of the birth of Christ? Why must the Word become flesh and dwell amongst us? How did this bring peace and reconciliation?

2 Corinthians 5:17-20

What is the difference between the ministry of reconciliation and the word of reconciliation? What does it mean to have an incarnational ministry? How do we practically enter into the world of hurting, broken and lost and share the gospel of peace?

John 13:34-35

How do we become known for our love for one another? How do we share unconditional love with those who are disenfranchised and estranged?

2 Corinthians 3:1-3

We are all living Bibles, seen and read by those around us. We are Christ’s ambassadors, sharing his message of peace and reconciliation. How does this affect how you live? How does this affect what you say? How does this affect your view of your purpose and your role in your workplace and your neighborhood?

Taking Action:

This week, take make personal contact with someone in need of peace and reconciliation. Get close enough to people who are far from God so that they can see the incarnated Christ in your values, beliefs and behavior. Enter their world, speak their language and show them unconditional love.

Ministry Time