Your Personal Grow-Pray-Study (GPS) Guide

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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. 

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Day 1: Read 1 John 4:10. You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving. That’s why God is so generous. God so loved the world that He gave…His Son, your next breath, your next heartbeat. Take time today to give God thanks for at least 10 reasons.

Day 2: Read Matthew 6:24. Why does Jesus use the word cannot when it comes to serving God and money? When does your pursuit of stuff get in the way of pursuing Jesus your Savior? What do you have to watch out for in replacing God as the top priority in your life?

Day 3: Read 1 John 4:11. How have you experienced God’s love this week through the love one another of another person? How has someone else experienced God’s love this week through your love one another of him or her?

Day 4: Read Matthew 6:19-21. You store up treasure in heaven by giving it away here, you invest in God’s kingdom work of connecting people to Jesus. As you look over your heavenly treasure portfolio, where are you investing your time, treasure, and talents in kingdom growth?

Day 5: Read 1 John 4:12. Winston Churchill observed, “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” How is loving one another an essential part of making your life and love complete?

Day 6: Read Acts 20:35. How have you experienced the truth of Jesus’ words this week, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”?

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. 

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Day 1: Read Acts 9:1-2. Saul/Paul thought he was following God’s plan when he went to Damascus but discovers to his horror he is opposing the God He loves. When have you found yourself pursuing what you thought was God’s will, and discovered you were doing the opposite? What did you do? Where do you need to repent and get back on the real road to greatness with God?

Day 2: Read Acts 9:11-14. When Ananias receives a vision of God’s will, he just thinks God is missing some of the facts. When have you known God’s will, but held back from doing what God wanted you to do? What happened in the long run? Where have you gotten off course with God and needed His redirection on the real road to greatness?

Day 3: Read Acts 9:15. When you sense God’s will for your life, what’s your favorite part? How have you experienced God speaking and guiding your life in your work? Relationships? Family? Faith growth? Times of service to make your mark?

Day 4: Read Acts 9:16. When you sense God’s will for your life, what’s your least favorite part? What do you do when you don’t like what He says for you to do in your work? Relationships? Family? Faith growth? Times of service to make your mark?

Day 5: Read Acts 9:17-18. What’s the same about Paul’s faith story and your faith story? What’s different? Why is it vital to remember the road to greatness requires the same steps for everyone?

Day 6: Read Acts 9:19-20. How are you doing sharing your faith story with others? What holds you back from sharing what God is doing in your life? How might the Holy Spirit give you greater boldness to share what God is doing in your life with your family? Friends? People at Christ Lutheran Church? People in our community?

You can Go Deeper this week by reading the book Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit 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 Acts 4:32. How are we the same as the church in Acts? How are we different today? How is your faith the same as 5, 10, 20 or more years ago? How is your faith in Jesus different today?

Day 2: Read 1 John 3:4-5. Think of one relationship that’s a bit strained in your life. How might applying the 101% principle work – find the 1% you agree on and pour 100% in that 1% to rebuild the relationship? Take time today to pray for healing that relationship and ask God to help you identify how He might work to make this relationship grow again?

Day 3: Read Acts 4:33. Christians have this common ground: I was a sinner. Jesus died for my sins. He rose again. He’s with me in living life each day, and one day, by faith in Him, I will be with Him forever in heaven. Why is it a good thing that all Christians have grace as our source of common ground?

Day 4: Read Luke 24:45-48. You build on the common ground of God’s Word as you spend time in that Word – in coming to worship, in being in Bible class, in reading God’s Word on a regular basis, in using the weekly Grow. Pray. Study. (GPS) Guide. Besides using the GPS, what are some key habits you have discovered for building from the common ground of God’s Word every day? What’s one area in your faith development you would like to grow in the month ahead?

Day 5: Read Acts 4:34-35. How have you seen the painful observation of this statement at work -- “Nothing brings two people together faster than the hatred of a third person”? Why is focusing on what we’re for a more effective approach for building from common ground?

Day 6: Read 1 John 3:1. In each of our lives, there are “islands of opportunity”. On some of the islands, we are called to serve and help others. On some of the islands, we are called to receive service and have others discover the joy of serving. Every day, your islands of opportunity flow out of this fundamental truth from today’s reading from 1 John. In the past week, where have you seen “islands of opportunity” to be served by others? To serve others? How did/does being a child of God impact such opportunities in your life?

You can Go Deeper this week by reading the book Who Broke My Church? 7 Strategies for Renewal and Revival by Kent Hunter

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 10:38. Being filled with the Holy Spirit empowers you to do things that you weren't able to do before — to show compassion that doesn't come naturally,to be courageous when once you might have been full of fear, to be bold when before you were timid, to be generous when it's in your nature to be selfish. The Holy Spirit anoints you with power to do the work of God. How have you seen the Holy Spirit atwork in someone else’s life recently? In your life? Pray for a specific person, time, oractivity when you seek His power today. Reflect at the end of the day what happened

Day 2: Read Acts 10:34. Where are you tempted towards favoritism (politics,religion, nationalities, age, gender)? Where do you need the Holy Spirit’s power to see people as God sees them? That’s a great prayer to pray – “Holy Spirit, open my eyes today to see others like you do and to respond accordingly.”

Day 3: Read Acts 10:38. When you commit to go around doing good at every opportunity, you will find yourself in some situations sometimes that only God can get you through. Satan will seek to pull you apart, the Holy Spirit will seek to pull you through. As you have sought to live with intentional acts of goodness this week,where have you experienced some spiritual pressure points? Spiritual battles? How is the Holy Spirit helping you get through each day?

Day 4: Read Acts 10:43. Being good is not something we can accomplish on our own. In fact, many times the more we try to be good, the more we mess things up.This is why Good Friday and Easter Sunday are so important. When He died, the power of sin died with Him. He paid the price for every sin, past, present, and future.He was laid in a tomb, and then on Sunday morning His cold dead body suddenly came to life, a different kind of life, a resurrected life that proved once and for all that He has the power to overcome sin and death. Today, take time to confess your sins and give them to Him. Ask for His resurrection power as you go forth and live with intentional acts of goodness to express (not earn) His love.

Day 5: Read Acts 10:38. When God wants to do intentional acts of goodness in this world that demonstrate His love to others, you’re the app for that. You’re God’s app to show His presence to the world. Where did you apply God’s love yesterday? Where might He want you to be His app to apply His love today?

Day 6: Read Acts 10:39-40. As a church committed to Developing Dynamic Disciples for Christ, we want the love we celebrate in worship together, to be the love we live out in our world each week. You’re God’s app for that! Take time to stop, look,and listen today to where you can bring His intentional acts of goodness to the world.Take time before you go to sleep tonight to see how God used you to bring Christ’s love in your works and your words to others?

You can Go Deeper this week by reading the book Conspiracy of Kindness: A Unique Approach to Sharing the Love of Jesus by Steve Sjogren.

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