Your Personal Grow-Pray-Study (GPS) Guide

This week's message continues to expanding on the "5 Love Languages / 5 Love Tanks":

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Receiving Gifts
4. Physical Touch
5. Acts of Service

Monday: Read Luke 9:46-48. How do the disciples gauge greatness? How does Jesus gauge greatness? What values does Jesus hold up in these verses? What in your every-day life do you see battling against these values that Jesus holds up?

Tuesday: Read Luke 22:24-27. Summarize in your own words what this passage teaches about service? What would it mean to apply Jesus’ words about service in your family life? Work or school relationships? Use of money?

Wednesday: Read Luke 7:36-50. In this passage, Simon failed to exercise “common courtesy” acts of service toward Jesus, his invited guest. What did his action communicate? What are “common courtesy” actions in our society and what does withholding them communicate? The woman turned Simon’s omitted courtesies into honoring service, without regard to the cost to her own self. What do you learn from her example?

Thursday: Read Luke 23:44-49. Here we have words that describe Jesus’ greatest service to us. He offered up his life to death, so that you and I may have eternal life with God. What is the meaning of the darkness and the torn curtain? Describe how Jesus’ words were those of a servant. Do you, as God’s servant need to pray these words to God?

Friday: Read Matthew 8:5-13. A humble spirit is essential to serve. Where in this passage do you see humility? Why is Jesus’ offer to go to a centurion’s house so remarkable? What does Jesus’ offer to the centurion tell us about Jesus’ desire to serve? What are obstacles that attempt to keep you from serving?

Saturday: Read Acts 6:1-7. How did service show itself in the earliest church? How did the Devil attempt to divide the church through its acts of service? What was the church’s response to this conflict? How might the Devil use this same tactic to divide today’s church? Pray for unity and service in the church.

You can go deeper this week by:

• Read the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman.
• Download the app at iTunes or go to 5lovelanguages.com
• Questions to help you discover where you can serve: Where do I see people serving? Who do I know who serves? How can I better serve at home? What are the opportunities at work to serve? Where have I served in the past and enjoyed the experience?

You can also listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.

This week's message continues to expanding on the "5 Love Languages / 5 Love Tanks":

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Receiving Gifts
4. Physical Touch
5. Acts of Service

Monday: Read John 1:14, 20:25-28 and Matthew 17:6-7. What does it mean to you that God became human and walked among us, lived life with us, talked with us, and touched us?

Tuesday: Read Mark 1:40-42 and Luke 22:47-51. In each case, which of the love languages did Jesus use to communicate God’s love to the man he healed? Why did Jesus touch the man with leprosy first, before speaking? Does “touch” play a significant role in your life? If yes, how?

Wednesday: Read Luke 18:15-17. How did Jesus communicate God’s love to the children and to their parents? When Jesus blessed the children, it involved touching them. Discuss the statement, “To touch in love is to bless. To refuse to touch is to dehumanize.”

Thursday: Read Philippians 2:3-4. How does this passage of Scripture guide what you should and should not use your hands for? How can hands be used selfishly? Describe a time when you used your hands to bless another person.

Friday: Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. In what way does God engage us through touch in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper? What are your habits to prepare for, and receive, this Sacrament?

Saturday: Read Matthew 28:18-19 and 1 Peter 3:20-22. These two passages of Holy Scripture mention baptism. Baptism involved the spoken Word of God, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” joined to ordinary water. Once again, God chooses to bless us and involve the sense of touch. How does 1 Peter help us understand one of the reasons why God chose water?

You can go deeper this week by:

• Read the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman.
• Download the app at iTunes or go to 5lovelanguages.com

You can also listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.

Pastor Burkey delivered this week's message based on John 3:26 (NIV) and expanding on the "5 Love Languages / 5 Love Tanks":

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Receiving Gifts
4. Physical Touch
5. Acts of Service

Monday: Read John 3:16 (NIV). When have you recieved a gift from someone that impacted the relationship between you and the giver? Why do you think part of God's nature is that "God loves, therefore, God gives?"

Tuesday: Read Psalm 107:1 (NIV). The world’s motivation for giving can be summed up as “I give so you’ll give to me” or in love tank language – “you fill my emotional love tank, I’ll fill yours.” How is God’s love so different from the world’s motivation to love? What are five specific areas you can thank God for today?

1. _____________________
2. _____________________
3. _____________________
4. _____________________
5. _____________________

Wednesday: Read Psalm 107:2a. In the NIV 2011 translation of this verse it reads, “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story...” What is your story of God’s love at work in your life? What has God been doing in your life this month? (Be Specific!)

Thursday: Read Psalm 107:8-9. When do you give thanks to the LORD? Do you wait for something good to happen? Can you place an intentional time in your schedule to give thanks to God? When will it be each day?

Friday: Read James 1:17-18. We are so used to gifts with strings that we become suspicious of all gifts. James reminds us God is the giver of all good gifts? As you look over this year, what good gifts have you received from God? When you think of giving to others – what part of the gift giving process do you enjoy the most – ideas for the gift, getting the gift, giving the gift, or watching the joyful reaction to the gift you give? How has gift giving impacted your relationship with others? Who do you know that receiving gifts is their primary love language?

Saturday: Read John 3:16-17. The Word says that what goes around comes around. With God’s love, we know when God’s love goes around everything changes. Why is it so important to remember these two verses together? Inspired by how God gives, where do you need to grow in your ability to give gifts to others?

You can go deeper this week by:

• Read the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman.
• Download the app at iTunes or go to 5lovelanguages.com
• Give a thoughtful, loving, and caring gift to someone you love who you believe has receiving gifts as their primary love language. Reflect on the impact such a gift had on the person and on you.

You can also listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.

Pastor Burkey delivered this week's message based on Mark 3:14 (NIV) and expanding on the "5 Love Languages / 5 Love Tanks":

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Receiving Gifts
4. Physical Touch
5. Acts of Service

Monday: Read Mark 3:14  (NIV). Why did Jesus want his disciples to be with Him? Why is quality time with Jesus still important in our day? When you think of your love language, where in a ranking of 1 as the highest and 5 as the lowest is quality time? Think of someone you love, where do you think that person would rank quality time as their love language?

Tuesday: Read Psalm 90:1 (NIV). How does God’s love for you, help you to make quality time for others? Looking back at yesterday, what were your quality time (“undivided attention”) moments? Looking ahead at today, what potential quality time moments are you building into your schedule?

Wednesday: Read John 13:34 (NIV). In John 13, Jesus washes feet. How does such a view of love, as Jesus lives out, resonate with what you have learned about love? Jesus’ emphasis is not on foot washing as much as a call to lovingly care for others. How is Jesus calling you to invest your time to express love to others?

Thursday: Read Psalm 90:12 (NIV). In numbering days, where have you followed the world’s plan to fall in love? How did that work out? Where have you followed God’s plan to grow in love? How is that working out?

Friday: Read James 1:19 (NIV). What battles against your quality time with others? Phone? Media? Overloaded schedule? What advice does James offer to build deep relationships? How do you see yourself living out that advice today?

Saturday: Read Psalm 90:17 (NIV). God loves us with an “all in” kind of love. Where have you seen such love at work in your life? Where is God calling you to bring such love to someone else’s life?

You can go deeper this week by:

• Read the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman.
• Download the app at iTunes or go to 5lovelanguages.com
• Make a Memory: What did you do this week to spend quality time (undivided attention) to be together, fully present, and totally engaged?  What do you plan to do next week?

You can also listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.

 
Pastor Burkey delivered this week's message based on Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) and expanding on the "5 Love Languages / 5 Love Tanks":

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Receiving Gifts
4. Physical Touch
5. Acts of Service

Related to Words of Affirmation, the goal is to T.H.I.N.K. when sharing:

• Is it True?
• Is it Helpful?
• Is it Inspiring?
• Is it Necessary?
• Is it Kind?

Monday: Read Proverbs 10:31-32 (NIV). When have you felt the power of words that people treasure? What leads you to use words that condemn? Words that affirm?

Tuesday: Read Proverbs 25:11-12 (NIV). When has a word been “aptly spoken” into your life? What was your response? Think of a specific person in your life; what are 5 aspects of their life where you can speak affirming words…

1. __________________

2. __________________

3. __________________

4. __________________

5. __________________

Wednesday: Read Proverbs 15:23 (NIV). Take a look at your list yesterday. How can you use a note / email / conversation / Facebook post to provide a timely word of affirmation?

Thursday: Read Proverbs 27:5-6 (NIV). Who has permission to speak truth into your life? Who speaks words of correction that affirm their love for you and get your life back on track? Thank God for them today. Make sure you thank them as well! (If you do not have such a person, pray God opens you to receive such a loving friend.)

Friday: Read Proverbs 15:30-31 (NIV). These verses remind me that tone (cheerful) and words (good news) are a tremendous combination in words of affirmation. This week’s message challenged each of us to make one compliment a day. How are you doing with that challenge? What have you noticed? What did you expect to happen? What has surprised you?”

Saturday: Read Ephesians 4:29 (NIV). Think of the people closest to you. What do you love most about each of them? How can you sincerely affirm them with words of affirmation? When you think of each person, which ones do you think have words of affirmation as their primary love language?

You can go deeper this week by:

• Read the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman.
• Download the app at iTunes or go to 5lovelanguages.com
• Compliment a Day tracker: Who did you compliment? What did you say? How did they react?
  • Monday: _______________________
  • Tuesday: _______________________
  • Wednesday: _______________________
  • Thursday: _______________________
  • Friday: _______________________
  • Saturday: _______________________

You can also listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.