Your Personal Grow-Pray-Study (GPS) Guide

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Day 1: Read Genesis 1:1. In Genesis 1, we learn life is not an accident, but God created it from a divine plan. As you read the opening chapters of the Bible, you find thought and order in creation. You find love and community. You find purpose and destiny. Why did God create people? Why did God create you?

Day 2: Read Romans 8:14. God creates, not just to make a world, or a universe, but to build a family. Why is it important to see our relationship with God as being like a family? Why not a farm or a business or a sports team? What makes a relationship with God as being one of His children special to you?

Day 3: Read Genesis 3:9-11. God created a perfect world, and then Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and then discovered the pain sin brings. What pain does sin bring to your life? What pain does sin bring to God? Why do we need God’s help to get out of this sinful mess?

Day 4: Read Romans 8:15. God selects you to be a part of His family.  “I know your problems, your sins, but I choose you to be part of My family. You are special to me.” What is your greatest joy in being a child of God? For whom are you praying to be part of God’s family? Pray for them today!

Day 5: Read Romans 8:16. God sends the Holy Spirit so that you can grow as His child. Where have you seen yourself growing as a child of God since the start of 2018? Where do you sense God desiring for you to grow in the next month?

Day 6: Read Romans 8:17. Your inheritance as an heir in God’s family is not only what you get in heaven one day, but you can live out that inheritance in the world right now…God is with you. Where do you need to remind yourself of God’s presence, power, and peace at work in your life?

You can Go Deeper this week by reading the book: Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves.

Don't forget you can listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS. 

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Day 1: Read Acts 2:17-18. Notice who makes up “all people”. What do the contrasts tell you about who makes up “great churches”? Luther believed all of us in our work, our vocation, were called to glorify God and serve our neighbors. Baker, shoemaker, prince or peasant, God calls all of us to glorify God and serve others. That’s why all people are needed. As you look at your day ahead, how might God use you in your work and leisure today?

Day 2: Read Acts 2:21. Whom are you praying for that doesn’t know Jesus? Write down specific names of those you know who need to know Jesus.If you don’t have any names, pray for a specific country (in addition to America) to come to know Jesus.

Day 3: Read Acts 2:6-7. If you think this verse is a put-down comment about the disciples, it is. Their understanding of people keeps their eye on people’s background more than the power of the Holy Spirit coming down and stretching these ordinary disciples and filling them with extraordinary power. Where have you seen God stretch your capacity to see what people can do? Where do you underestimate His hand at work in someone’s life? Where might you be underestimating the super- powerful work of the Holy Spirit in your life?

Day 4: Read Acts 2:4. With the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit gives, the power doesn’t come from you, but from the Holy Spirit within you. Have you discovered your spiritual gifts? How are you putting them to use this week?

Day 5: Read Acts 2:1. The early church accomplished great things because they did things together. That’s true for us as well. Where have you seen God work through a “team effort” to make a difference in our church? Where might God be calling you to join a team in active service inside or outside of our church?

Day 6: Read Acts 2:42. Andrew Carnegie observed: "It marks a big step in your development when you come to realize that other people can help you do a better job than you could do alone.” Together we can do great things when we work together as a team empowered by the Holy Spirit. What are some of the spiritual habits you noticed that the early church followed in this verse? How do they line up with your spiritual habits in following Jesus on your own and with others?

You can Go Deeper this week by reading the book Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution through Serving by Dino Rizzo.

Don't forget you can listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS. 

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Day 1: Read Acts 1:8. What does the Holy Spirit's power look like? We may think in terms of laying on of hands and performing miracles, but His power in your life is often so much subtler than that. It's a gentle nudge to give a person a hand, or to speak a word of encouragement. It's a quiet whisper that gives you the right words to say in a given moment. How have you seen such power of the Holy Spirit at work in the last 24 hours in your life and in others’ lives?

Day 2: Read John 17:6-7. The truth we learn about Jesus and the power we receive to serve like Jesus comes from the Holy Spirit. What “truths” about Jesus have you learned in the past week from your study of God’s Word, worship services, Life Group or Bible classes? How has the Holy Spirit empowered you to serve others in the past 24 hours?

Day 3: Read Acts 1:8. How did you come to faith in Jesus? What have been some significant faith growing events in your life? With whom are you sharing the story? (Your answers to the first two questions.)

Day 4: Read John 17:8 and John 17:17. When have you sensed the Holy Spirit prompting you to say something about your faith story? What happened when you followed or failed to follow that prompting? Whom are you praying for to hear God’s story and join God’s family? Pray for them today! Pray to share your God story today!

Day 5: Read Acts 1:8. The hardest part of serving is starting where you are. Where do you sense the Holy Spirit is calling you to serve? What is one step you can take to make that service happen?

Day 6: Read John 17:18. As you look at the day ahead, think through how Jesus might be sending you into your work, your school, your leisure, your shopping, your driving? Pray for the Holy Spirit to keep you aware of His sending you forth this day.

You can Go Deeper this week by reading the book Improve Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living by Charles R. Swindoll.

Don't forget you can listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS. 

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Day 1 – Read Deuteronomy 6:4-7. How are we to love God? How do we show it?

Day 2 – Read 2 Chronicles 1:11-12. What is “your heart’s desire”? Did God give Solomon his heart’s desire? What else did He give him? How does that make you think about your heart’s desire?

Day 3 – Read Matthew 6:21. What is your treasure? Where is it? How does it feel to know that your heart is there too?

Day 4 – Read Galatians 4:6. What very special role does your heart play in your relationship with Jesus? How does God the Father feel about this?

Day 5 – Read Hebrews 4:12. What kind of attitudes reside in a heart for God?

Day 6 – Read 1 Peter 3:15. How is a heart for God prepared to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the world?

You can Go Deeper this week by reading the book The Generosity Factor: Discover the Joy of Giving Your Time, Talent, and Treasure by Ken Blanchard & S. Truett Cathy.

Don't forget you can listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.