Pathways of the Heart

Connection Group Questions: February 26, 2012

“Pathways of the Heart” 

Opening 

Make sure everyone is aware of events and opportunities happening at Connections listed in the bulletin: we have construction projects, youth programs and other opportunities to move forward in your faith!

Discussion

Start with a review of the big idea:

Direction, not desire, determines our destination.

Does this principle match your experiences in life?

Principles are different than 12 step programs, or self-help.  How are they different? How it the Principle of the path more like the law of gravity?  How is the Principle affecting some of the major paths of your life:

• Marriage, or relationships, Family, Job, Finances, Physical health, Walk with God...

Review our theme verse: Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is;  and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.  ~ Jer. 6:16

Now Read Jeremiah 17:5-10

Spend some time examining this wonderful passage:

How have you trusted in your own strength, or others, and ended up getting burned?

Have you hd other experiences where God gave you strength, or used someone else, to help in on the right path?

Can you think of a time or event when you put your trust in the Lord in a very real and specific way?  What was the result?

Have there been times of heat/drought in your life?  What was God able to do in you/through you during that season?

Now look at the third part of this passage; the heart.

What is the difference between deceitfulness, and being dishonest, and just being ignorant?

How does our truth quest and our happy quest conflict?

The passage asks, “Who can understand (the heart)?”  

Does this mean we can’t know anything about our hearts, or that we must look deep within to find understanding?  Have you come to understand your own heart?  What have you learned?

Proverbs 27:22 tells us, “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.”

Where/when have you seen danger, but kept going?

What was the result?  Were you following your heart and the desire for happiness, or the truth?

Do you find the promise at the end, “I will give every person according to their ways...” encouraging, or frightening, or a bit of both?  How does this affirm the Principle: that direction determines destination?

George mentioned what he called “The Best Question,”

“In light of my past experience and my future hope, what is the wise thing to do?”

How might this question have changed decisions you’ve made in the past?

Are you facing any decisions right now that you need to run through this question?  If so, perhaps discussing with the group will help.

Close with a time of prayer for one another. 

Distance is Secondary, Direction is Everything

Connection Group Questions: February 19, 2012

“Distance is Secondary, Direction is Everything” 

Opening 

Make sure everyone is aware of events and opportunities happening at Connections listed in the bulletin: we have construction projects, youth programs and other opportunities to move forward in your faith!  

Discussion

Big Idea: Direction, not desire, determines our destination.

When writing about the important of direction, Andy Stanley distinguished between a solution and a path.  

• What is the difference?  Why is it important to recognize the difference between finding “solutions” and finding paths?

Describe how the principle of the Path is currently affecting your life in the following areas:

• Marriage, or relationships
• Family
• Job
• Finances
• Physical health
• Walk with God

Cars, computers and many other things have problems that can be fixed.  But generally, people are hard to “fix.”  Instead, people have directions that can be changed.

• What are the biggest problems in your life right now?  The thing(s) causing the most stress?
• How might you address these problems by changing a direction in your life?

Key Question:

1. Describe the destination you’d like to reach.  WIll the path you are currently on get you there?

Bible study:

Read Matthew 7:13

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”

• What two paths are described here?
• To what destination do each of these roads lead?
• How is this teaching contrary to popular belief?  Why do we think “narrow” is negative?

Read 1 Kings 11:1-11

• Why did Solomon turn from the path he started on?
• What warning does this give us in life?
• What were the outcomes of the choices Solomon made?
• Why do seemingly wise people often make foolish decisions in one or more areas of life, or in a season of life?

Reflect on the following promise regarding paths...

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; 

and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.

~ Jeremiah 6:16

Close with a time of prayer for one another.  

Unstuck Fields

February 12, 2012

Opening 

Make sure everyone is aware of events and opportunities happening at Connections: we have construction projects, youth programs and other opportunities to move forward in your faith! 

If your group desires, review each of our 5 previous topics: getting unstuck in our future, faith, finances, families and friendships.

Discussion

Read Ecclesiastes 2:17-23

• Ever felt like this?  Still feeling like this?  Why do so many get so stuck in work in our day and age?  Isn’t work and life supposed to be getting easier?  Why does this not seem to be the case?

You were made to work...

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ~ Genesis 2:15

• What does culture say about work?  What does your work place tell you about yourself, your meaning, your life?  How does it match up with what the bible tells us?

You were made for more than work...

Read Exodus 20:8-11

• Why is it so important to take rest?  What is the difference between rest and sabbath?  How can sabbath help us to find more meaning and reward from work?

Whatever work you do, do it for God...

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. ~ 1 Cor. 15:58

Read Matthew 25:14-30

• What does this parable teach us about work?  About our lives?  About God?

Final thought:  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  ~ Ephesians 2:10

Close with a time of prayer for one another.

Unstuck Friendships

Connection Group Questions: February 5, 2012

Opening 

Make sure everyone is aware of events and opportunities happening at Connections listed in the bulletin: we have construction projects, youth programs and other opportunities to move forward in your faith!  

Discussion

We’ve covered some BIG material so far.  Give the group time to catch up, or process.  In particular, talk about two things:

1. If you want to get unstuck in your faith, it is within your power to do something.  Perhaps the single best thing: start reading your bible!  What are you reading?  When and where?  What help do you need?  What resources?  What advice can you share?  Try to aim for 5 out of 7 days each week.
2. If you want to get unstuck in your finances, it’s going to take some work.  Review our BIG three:
1. You got to be knowing where your money is going.
2. Get out of debt.
3. Commit your first fruits to God by working toward a tithe, or to radical generosity!

1. If you want to get unstuck in your family, put God first!  If folks have questions about baptism, any if they feel they are ready to take this step of faith, discuss and pray about the decision.  Review the Family Commitment:

Our Family will serve Jesus through...

~ Engaging faith at home;

~ Engaging faith with our church;

~ Engaging faith in our story.

Friendship is not an option, but neither is hurt...

Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and discuss...

How has your Group provided the kinds of friendship you desire, and need?  How might your group nurture this kind of friendship even more?

The Law of Lamech vs. the Love of Jesus... (From John Ortberg’s “Everybody’s Normal Until You Get To Know Them”)

Read Genesis 4:23-24 and Matthew 18:15-35 

To what degree have you lived by the Law of Lamech?

Forgiveness is not excusing, forgetting, reconciling.  How do you distinguish between these?

Discuss the parable that Jesus taught, or move right into the very hard, but relevant issue...

Read 1 Corinthians 15:33

Have you ever had to cut off a relationship?

Are there any friendship that might need more distance, or cutting off entirely?

Review how forgiveness works:

Step One: Giving up our right to “get even.”

Step Two: Seeing the person as Jesus sees them.

Step Three: Blessing the person as Jesus blesses them. 

Is there anyone you need to ask forgiveness from?

Is there anyone you need to offer forgiveness to?

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  ~ Ephesians 4:32

Has it been easy or hard to experience an assurance of forgiveness with God?

Spend some time this week reflecting on how God has forgiven you in Christ.  See how this impacts your ability to forgive others.

Close with a time of prayer for one another.