The Game of LIFE: Stratego

The following is designed to as a group exercise in order for you to receive counsel on your life plan. It would be most beneficial for you to come to your group having written out a draft of your plan.

Opening:
Read Proverbs 19:21 (in your program).
If someone in your group seems particularly gifted in organizing their life, and others lives, have them share some of their life plans, how they discerned their plans, and how they have implemented their life plans.

Review our three guiding proverbs as found in the program this morning: 15:22, 16:3 and 16:9.
Discuss the importance of counsel, determination and openness to God’s changes to your plans.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
~ Jeremiah 29:11

I. Discover God’s PURPOSE for your life:
Exercise- write your own epitaph. Thinking now of what is most glorifying to God, what do you want said of you by your family, friends, church and community? What do you want God to say about your life as well?
One other way to help us understand ourselves is to reflect on your SHAPE (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experiences).

II. Discern your LIFE PLAN:
How do you want to develop in the following most important areas of life? (You may add to this list, but you cannot take away):

• Relationship with God
• Relationship with People
• Relationship with Yourself: health, hobbies, etc
• Relationship with Work
• Relationship with Money

III. Activate your MISSION:
Now you must get practical, put your plan into a statement, verse, list or paragraph that you can remember. Then put it into action steps in the following areas:

1. Legacy: Plans for the end of your life (Should be directions plans that can be implemented immediately, but will take a lifetime to achieve)
2. Mid-range Plans: 2-10 years
3. Short-range Plans: 1-2 years
4. Daily/Weekly/Season: this is your SYSTEM to write and implement your plans. Remember the importance of putting your plans into a workable weekly practice so that you can do your work and get your Sabbath.

Want another resource?
Go to http://ldp.lifechurch.tv/jsp/main.jsp

The Game of LIFE: Cranium

Opening
Take time to play an opening game this week! Something to get people interacting- charades, pictionary, something silly.

Digging Deeper
The passage we are really getting into requires context. Read the “doxology” (doxa= glory, logos= word) in Rm 11:33-36. Review the attributes of God described. Reflect on these things. Then share your own “doxology” or “words of glory” to God.How does this set the stage for what is about to come?

What Paul is about to ask falls in light of the doxology, and in light of God’s mercy? What is God’s mercy? Share from you own knowledge and experience.

Read Romans 12:1-2. The first thing we do in light of God’s mercy is to offer our bodies. Practically, how do we do this?
Why is this so important? What does this tell us about how God views our physical bodies? What does this mean for the value of other peoples bodies and physical needs?

Paul creates an amazing juxtaposition: the offering of our bodies as living sacrifices as our spiritual act of worship, as compared with offering animals as dead sacrifices in temple worship. Spend some time working through the implications of this- how does this mean for how we worship and “do” religion?

The word for spiritual is from the Greek “logikos.” How should this radically change the way many of us view “spiritual” things? What does it mean to say we are spiritual people in light of this passage? What does this imply about our priority on worship?

Another great juxtaposition appears between being conformed and transformed. Describe the pattern of this world and how we are conformed. Compare this to the transformation of the mind in Christ. Get practical- how have we become too conformed? Where do we need be transformed? How can we apply our minds to this endeavor?

So what comes first, belief of behavior? Do we offer our bodies to change our minds, or change our minds to offer our bodies? Or are we creating a false dichotomy here? Are we better served seeing ourselves in a more holistic way? Explore the implications of this passage and your own experience. Share your own interaction of mind and body, and how they have affected the other.

Closing
The passage ends with an amazing promise- do this and be able to test and approve God’s will. Do you want to do God’s will? What do you believe is God’s will for your life?
Pray, share announcements, and make a plan for a group games night.