September 11 – 17

Weekly Reading for September 11 – 17

Preparing for Next Week’s Message

Sermon Series: Equipped
Sermon Title: You Are Gifted!

This reading plan will get your heart and mind set for the next message on September 18, 2016:


Reflecting on the Most Recent Sermon

Sermon Series: Thrive
Sermon Title: Communication, Going Deeper Than Just Hanging Out
Delivered On: September 11, 2016

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Memorize and Reflect

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:14)


Prayer Direction

Ask God to give you a clear and unflinching look at your communication in relationships. Are you asking the kind of questions that open doors for others? Are you sharing what’s in your heart, what concerns you, the joys you’re experiencing? If you’ve stayed near the surface, ask God to give you the courage and direction to go deeper. Risk and reap the rewards!


“Live It!” Challenge

Commit to going deeper with at least two people in your life. Ask them to be more open with you, and be more open with them. Go past the usual stop signs, take a different road and trust what God will do in these relationships.


Small Group Discussion

  1. Share with the group where you see yourself in everyday relating to others: is it near the surface where you’re most comfortable or do you dig in and risk deeper sharing?

  2. Have you been in a Bible study that helped you go deeper? Talk about how that affected you, whether it made you uncomfortable or felt good.

  3. If you already share more in-depth generally, tell about where that works well, and who it works best with. How does this help you “thrive”?

  4. How does interacting on a deeper level enhance your life? Describe the effects that benefit your relationships. How do you sense the Lord using it?

  5. How wide is your circle of friends? Close friends? Intimate friends? Have you ever wished for more close friends and if so, what can you do to help that happen?

  6. Do you mainly have “one-way” relationships or “two-way”? In one-ways only one person asks questions, in two-ways both do. How do they feel different?

  7. Have you ever been hurt in a close relationship and long suffered from the after-effects? Describe what happened and where are you with it now.

  8. How do you react when someone tries to open you up to share more with him or her? Do you automatically resist, are you super-cautious, do you “over share” then regret it? Do you clam up? If you clam up, why is that?

  9. Share with the group where you see yourself in everyday relating to others: is it near the surface where you’re most comfortable or do you dig in and risk deeper sharing?

  10. Have you been in a Bible study that helped you go deeper? Talk about how that affected you, whether it made you uncomfortable or felt good.

  11. If you already share more in-depth generally, tell about where that works well, and who it works best with. How does this help you “thrive”?

  12. How does interacting on a deeper level enhance your life? Describe the effects that benefit your relationships. How do you sense the Lord using it?

  13. How wide is your circle of friends? Close friends? Intimate friends? Have you ever wished for more close friends and if so, what can you do to help that happen?

  14. Do you mainly have “one-way” relationships or “two-way”? In one-ways only one person asks questions, in two-ways both do. How do they feel different?

  15. Have you ever been hurt in a close relationship and long suffered from the after-effects? Describe what happened and where are you with it now.

  16. How do you react when someone tries to open you up to share more with him or her? Do you automatically resist, are you super-cautious, do you “over share” then regret it? Do you clam up? If you clam up, why is that?