Your Personal Grow-Pray-Study (GPS) Guide

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.

The message this week was on Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV) with a focus on building community through: love, spaces, relationships, and service.

Monday: Read Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV). When you think of community, what images come to mind? How do they line up with the images painted in these verses?

Tuesday: Read Acts 2:42 (NIV). Where have you seen love build community? How is God calling you to bring His love to our church, to your family, to our community, and to our world? (Make sure to join us in July for our look at the 5 Love Languages. If you have an iPhone, get the 5 Love Language app and take the profile or go online at 5lovelanguages.com)

Wednesday: Read Acts 2:46-47 (NIV). Where are the places you meet with God on your own, with your family, and with others? Where do you need to create space in your life to spend time with God and be aware of His presence?

Thursday: Read Acts 2:42 (NIV). Where is God leading you to develop deep faith relationships? If you are part of a LIFE GROUP, how have you seen your faith grow deeper? If you are not in a LIFE GROUP, why? Are you ready to “get in” a LIFE GROUP this fall?

Friday: Read Acts 2:44-45 (NIV). These verses from Acts 2 often bring the fear of communism in how they are perceived. Yet their focus is on meeting the needs of others with the resources God provides. When we build out community, we serve with Christ’s love in our works and our words. How have others served you with Christ’s love? How are you serving others with Christ’s love?

Saturday: Read Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV). As you reflect on the GPS for this week, what lessons have you discovered about God’s desire to build community in your life? What next steps can you identify to which you will commit in the months ahead to build community not only for yourself, but also for others?

You can go deeper this week by:

• Build Up Community: Start with Love – Read the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. Download the app at iTunes or go to 5lovelanguages.com
• Build For Community: Create Space – Look at your schedule, block out time for one- on-one time with God and time for being with others (like worship each weekend).
• Build In Community: Develop Deep Faith Relationships – Give thanks for your LIFE GROUP. If not in a LIFE GROUP, use the connection card for information to “get in”.
• Build Out Community: Serve with Christ’s Love – Pray for those going to Paraguay and be a part of the School Supply Packing Event.

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

 The Fourth Petition: Give us this day our daily bread. What does this mean? God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

What is meant by daily bread? Daily bread includes everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

Read John 17:6-8. We see that Jesus came to carry out the will of his Father.

Jesus' purpose was God the Father's purpose.

Jesus' words were God the Father's words. 

They saw and heard God the Father through Jesus.

How can your family and friends see Jesus through you?

Read Acts 4:1-13. How do you think the religious leaders felt about Peter’s response to the questions?

Describe the heart and attitude of Peter as he articulated his faith and commitment to Jesus.

Can you identify a situation in your life where you faced opposition to the message of Jesus?

Read Acts 3:11-20. Peter spoke boldly of Jesus, calling people to “Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

When was a time in your life that you repented before God?

How have you experienced the refreshment and presence of God in your life since this time?

Read Luke 19:1-10. Jesus hung out with people who were not welcomed into “polite society.” No respectable person would be caught hanging around with Zacchaeus.

Where are some places you go frequently where you rub shoulders with people who don’t know Jesus?

Who is that one person you spend time with regularly who does not know Jesus and for whom you can spiritually invest yourself?

Read Acts 3:1-10. What a change! Without fear of contradiction, we can now say about Peter, “What boldness! What confidence! What certainty!”

Identify a moment of boldness in your life when you seized an opportunity to talk about and act upon your faith.