Faith Church Kansas
We have dreams, but we feel stuck. We want to change, but feel like we don’t have capacity. We long to be free, but not sure the path to take. Sound familiar? During this series, we want to build-in God’s priorities and uncap our potential. This can be the best year of our lives as we align ourselves to God’s purposes, remove the lid of our perceived limitations, and uncap our capacity.
Message Title: God's Top Priority
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NIV
We are reconcilers.
Relationships are God's top priority.
Ephesians 4:22-32 NIV
Relationships are central to a vibrant life.
How can we foster healthy relationships?
1. Speak words of life.
2. Sacrifice your bitterness.
3. Surrender your heart.
Prayer of repentance:
Dear Lord, please forgive me for ______(name the sin you did). I recognize my actions have hurt You and others. I repent of pride, anger, and bitterness. Cleanse my heart. I surrender to you. I close the door to the enemy’s work in my heart. I declare that I am Your child. Thank you, Jesus,
for reconciling me back to God, because of your work at the cross.I welcome your Spirit to renew
me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer for releasing forgiveness:
Dear Lord, I choose to forgive _______ (name of person) for ______(name their offense/what they did). But Father, when they did these things I felt _____(describe the effects of the sins on you). Please take these emotions from me and place them on the cross. I open my heart to receive what You want to give me in exchange for the hurt. Thank You for healing the effects of these sins in my soul. Now, Father, I repent of all bitterness and I rebuke the enemy’s work. Where the enemy had a foothold because of the lies of bitterness, I renounce that and ask you to set me free. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
L I F E
C O N N E C T
Q U E S T I O N S
___
(1) Who was your best friend growing up? What made that friendship so special?
(2) What is the silliest argument or misunderstanding you’ve had?
(3) Read Ephesians 4:22-32 Discuss what you observe in the passage(s). Was there anything in that passage that seemed confusing? Was there anything in the message on Sunday that brought up a question for you or you found to be unclear? Ask your Connect Group.
(4) Relationships are a big part of our lives, and they are also one of the prime targets the enemy tries to sabotage. Pastor talked about how the enemy wants us to feel like “lone wolves” and “lonely sheep”. Have you ever felt like you fit into either of those? How did you get back into the sheepfold?
(5) Why do you think relationships are a top priority for God? What is one way you can make friendships a higher priority in your life? What are the walls or hindrances you have in building relationships?
(6) Read 1 Timothy 1:13-17. How do these verses relate to our friendships? Why is remembering God’s forgiveness toward us so important?
(7) What did God speak to you personally through this message? Do you have a relationship that needs to be reconciled? Do you have a relationships that just needs to be released to God through forgiveness? Talk about it with your group, encourage each other, and pray for each other.