The primary reason we don’t use our gifts is because we don’t love people, and the reason we don’t love people is because we haven’t understood God’s love for us.

You may be using your spiritual gifts and not be spiritual, but you will not be spiritual if you are not using your gifts.

Someone says they are spiritual and I say show me how you are using your gifts to build up the church.
Someone says they are spiritually mature, and I say show me how you are using your gifts to build up the church.

On the internet you have all these self-appointed spiritual gurus, particularly on Facebook, who think their spiritual gift is to critique others. I ask, “How is this building up the Church?” Are they critiquing Joyce Meyers, or Joel Osteen out of compassion, love, and gentleness? Often, its not spirituality, even if they are right. It’s seeking self-worth by putting others down.

Jesus during His earthly ministry was not OK with religious people calling the work of the Spirit, the work of the Devil, and He’s not OK with calling the work of the flesh, our fallen base nature, the work of the Spirit, either.

Gifts are the means of loving one another. If you have a gift and you aren’t using it to serve people in the church, you are missing the point.

If you don't use gift it's because you don't have love to give and the love u need is Gods love bc it's infinite leaving you with more than enough to give away.

1. According to Ephesians 4:11–13, how does maturity happen?
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

2. Knowing this is God's design, what are some ways you can help make sure this process happens in your own life?

3. How important in the process described in Ephesians 4 is being committed to a local church? Why?

4. What is one of the primary things we could look at, as mentioned in the sermon, in order to determine our maturity level? ANSWER: our conflict resolution

5. What does handling conflict with maturity look like? Please describe it? Speak to facets like, how long should it take before you go to the person? What if you have been sinned against, whose responsibility is it to confront? Should we wait till we feel like forgiving to forgive? etc.

6. Based on how you resolve conflict in your own life, how mature would you say you are? Would those close to you agree?

7. Where do you have room to grow in this area?

8. Maturity is not equivalent to how old you are. Maturity is not equivalent to how much you know. Maturity is not equivalent to how many spiritual gifts you have Which of these stood out to you? Please explain.

9. Please go through the following list and ask members of the group to confess areas they are still immature in and ask them what they plan to do about it:

Immaturity

Taking things personally
Holding grudges
Makes the Church responsible for their spiritual growth.
Thinking your environment has to be a certain way for u to thrive
Happiness means acquisition of things
I'm unique and no no one has my struggles
I’m the exception to orthodox or standard Christianity
Thinking God works on your timing
Jumping to conclusions
Needing others to validate ur sense of self worth
Serving for the praise of people and getting angry when u do t get it
Cut themselves off from their mentor and instead prefer the company of those complicit with their apathy.
Thinking the voices in your head are the Holy Spirit
Jumping into ministry before counting the cost
Make decisions but can’t keep them and complain about what they committed to.
Get easily distracted from their mission
Start things they don’t finish due to neglect or forgetfulness.
Force others to walk on eggshells around them lest they be offended. Certain topics are passively declared off limits.
Stay on the outskirts or periphery of community lest they experience accountability.
Define the Church as a loose connection of Christians acquaintances in order to avoid accountability.
Immature Christians are their own pastors and deacons to themselves.
Immature Christians claim revelation from the Holy Spirit that is contrary to revelation from Scripture.
Immature Christians talk about the person instead of going to the person.
10. Please go through the following list and ask members which areas they want to grow in maturity and which areas they believe they have experienced growth in maturity:
Mature Christians let Jesus reign in every area of their lives, immature Christians compartmentalize and giving him only sections while seeking to be their own God in every other area.They make Jesus not King of their life but merely a figurehead with no real power. They don’t submit to His will, they submit to their own will.
Mature Christians are marked by humility
Mature Christians not only know God’s word, but they apply God’s Word beginning with themselves.
Mature Christians live to serve others.
Mature Christians love people who don’t yet love Jesus.
Mature Christians are able to learn from people who are less mature than they are.
Mature Christians set and live out personal standards that are higher for themselves than they are for other people.
Mature Christians seek out the truth for the purpose of repentance and change.
Mature Christians seek out discipleship.
Mature Christians seek out accountability.
Mature Christians seek out transparency.
Mature Christians make wise commitments and follow through with them over time.
Mature Christians take initiative in serving and meeting the needs of others.
Mature Christians submit plans to wise leadership for confirmation.
Mature Christians understand the needs of the many are greater than personal preferences.
Mature Christians often serve outside their comfort zone.
Mature Christians seek out and submit to Spirit ordained leadership as a means of submitting to God’s Word, as a means of submitting to King Jesus.
11. Are you willing to call out the areas where you are immature?
12. Are you willing to let a mature Christians speak into your life and advise you where you need to grow in maturity?

13. Are you willing to struggle against the areas in your life where you are immature and to begin to respond in different ways than you did in the past.

14. Are you willing to ask forgiveness from God and from those who have been on the receiving end of your immaturity?

1. According to Ephesians 4:11–13, how does maturity happen?
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

2. Knowing this is God's design, what are some ways you can help make sure this process happens in your own life?

3. How important in the process described in Ephesians 4 is being committed to a local church? Why?

4. What is one of the primary things we could look at, as mentioned in the sermon, in order to determine our maturity level? ANSWER: our conflict resolution

5. What does handling conflict with maturity look like? Please describe it? Speak to facets like, how long should it take before you go to the person? What if you have been sinned against, whose responsibility is it to confront? Should we wait till we feel like forgiving to forgive? etc.

6. Based on how you resolve conflict in your own life, how mature would you say you are? Would those close to you agree?

7. Where do you have room to grow in this area?

8. Maturity is not equivalent to how old you are. Maturity is not equivalent to how much you know. Maturity is not equivalent to how many spiritual gifts you have Which of these stood out to you? Please explain.

9. Please go through the following list and ask members of the group to confess areas they are still immature in and ask them what they plan to do about it:

Immaturity

Taking things personally
Holding grudges
Makes the Church responsible for their spiritual growth.
Thinking your environment has to be a certain way for u to thrive
Happiness means acquisition of things
I'm unique and no no one has my struggles
I’m the exception to orthodox or standard Christianity
Thinking God works on your timing
Jumping to conclusions
Needing others to validate ur sense of self worth
Serving for the praise of people and getting angry when u do t get it
Cut themselves off from their mentor and instead prefer the company of those complicit with their apathy.
Thinking the voices in your head are the Holy Spirit
Jumping into ministry before counting the cost
Make decisions but can’t keep them and complain about what they committed to.
Get easily distracted from their mission
Start things they don’t finish due to neglect or forgetfulness.
Force others to walk on eggshells around them lest they be offended. Certain topics are passively declared off limits.
Stay on the outskirts or periphery of community lest they experience accountability.
Define the Church as a loose connection of Christians acquaintances in order to avoid accountability.
Immature Christians are their own pastors and deacons to themselves.
Immature Christians claim revelation from the Holy Spirit that is contrary to revelation from Scripture.
Immature Christians talk about the person instead of going to the person.
10. Please go through the following list and ask members which areas they want to grow in maturity and which areas they believe they have experienced growth in maturity:
Mature Christians let Jesus reign in every area of their lives, immature Christians compartmentalize and giving him only sections while seeking to be their own God in every other area.They make Jesus not King of their life but merely a figurehead with no real power. They don’t submit to His will, they submit to their own will.
Mature Christians are marked by humility
Mature Christians not only know God’s word, but they apply God’s Word beginning with themselves.
Mature Christians live to serve others.
Mature Christians love people who don’t yet love Jesus.
Mature Christians are able to learn from people who are less mature than they are.
Mature Christians set and live out personal standards that are higher for themselves than they are for other people.
Mature Christians seek out the truth for the purpose of repentance and change.
Mature Christians seek out discipleship.
Mature Christians seek out accountability.
Mature Christians seek out transparency.
Mature Christians make wise commitments and follow through with them over time.
Mature Christians take initiative in serving and meeting the needs of others.
Mature Christians submit plans to wise leadership for confirmation.
Mature Christians understand the needs of the many are greater than personal preferences.
Mature Christians often serve outside their comfort zone.
Mature Christians seek out and submit to Spirit ordained leadership as a means of submitting to God’s Word, as a means of submitting to King Jesus.
11. Are you willing to call out the areas where you are immature?
12. Are you willing to let a mature Christians speak into your life and advise you where you need to grow in maturity?

13. Are you willing to struggle against the areas in your life where you are immature and to begin to respond in different ways than you did in the past.

14. Are you willing to ask forgiveness from God and from those who have been on the receiving end of your immaturity?

Jesus gives gifts to the Church so that through the preaching of the Word, Christians are equipped to use their spiritual gifts, resulting in maturity, and the building up of the Church.
What's the difference between a talent and a spiritual gift?
What is an apostle?
How do I find out what my spiritual gift is?

1. We talked about the idea that self-perception can affect behavior. What is your tendency, to think of yourself as "just a sinner saved by grace" or as a saint reigning as a co-heir with Christ? Please explain.

2. Do you consider yourself active in the church? If so why are you, and if not what holds you back in your opinion? Please explain.

3. We mentioned four graces from Ephesians 4:2, what were they?

4. What is the goal in the church for these 4 graces? (Answer is in verse 3)

5. Who is the humblest person you ever met? What was it about them you perceived as humble?

6. How did we define humility based on Philippians 2:3–4? Answer:
The test is whether you invest in other people.
7. According to this definition, how humble are you?

8. Where would you like to improve?

9. Where do you struggle with humility?

10. Based on Philippians 2:8–9, James 4:10, and 1 Peter 5:5, have you seen God exalt you in your Christian life? If not, why? If so, how?

11. What would it look like for you to practice humility as we defined it through your church? Please be concrete and specific.

12. How did we define "gentleness" according to Matthew 11:28–30?
Answer: Gentleness is seeking relieve people of their heavy burdens.

13. According to Galatians 2:2–3, what is the reason we fail to help people bear their burdens? Is this hard for you to admit? Please explain.

14. Where do you struggle the most with being gentle? Please be specific.

15. According to 2 Timothy 2:24–25, what should our default behavior be when dealing with challenging situations or when being attacked?

16. Does being gentle mean we must allow ourselves to be manipulated and walked over?

17. Being humble and gentle doesn't mean we can't enforce our boundaries. Some have defined "boundaries" in the following ways:
Boundaries means I have the right to …
… my own needs and feelings and to have them be as important as anyone else’s

… experience my feelings and express them, if I want

… decide my priorities

… be independent

… decide how I spend my time

… choose how I spend my life

… change my mind

… make mistakes

… develop and express my talents

…choose who I spend time with

… be treated with dignity and respect

… be listened to respectfully

… say no

… ask for what I want

… have my boundaries respected.

How well do you do with boundaries and are you able to maintain humility and gentleness in doing so?

18. How did we define patience?
Answer: overlooking others faults

19. How well do you do overlooking others faults? Do you have a tendency to treat others differently without talking with them about it when you see their faults?

20. How will we acquire more of these 4 graces in our lives based on Ephesians 3:16–19?

Humility, Gentleness, Patience, and Loving Forbearance moves us, like Jesus, to serve others. We cannot say we are any of these things until we are serving. Here we are look at Biblical and concrete definitions for the purpose of self-analysis.

1. We talked about the idea that self-perception can affect behavior. What is your tendency, to think of yourself as "just a sinner saved by grace" or as a saint reigning as a co-heir with Christ? Please explain.

2. Do you consider yourself active in the church? If so why are you, and if not what holds you back in your opinion? Please explain.

3. We mentioned four graces from Ephesians 4:2, what were they?

4. What is the goal in the church for these 4 graces? (Answer is in verse 3)

5. Who is the humblest person you ever met? What was it about them you perceived as humble?

6. How did we define humility based on Philippians 2:3–4? Answer:
The test is whether you invest in other people.
7. According to this definition, how humble are you?

8. Where would you like to improve?

9. Where do you struggle with humility?

10. Based on Philippians 2:8–9, James 4:10, and 1 Peter 5:5, have you seen God exalt you in your Christian life? If not, why? If so, how?

11. What would it look like for you to practice humility as we defined it through your church? Please be concrete and specific.

12. How did we define "gentleness" according to Matthew 11:28–30?
Answer: Gentleness is seeking relieve people of their heavy burdens.

13. According to Galatians 2:2–3, what is the reason we fail to help people bear their burdens? Is this hard for you to admit? Please explain.

14. Where do you struggle the most with being gentle? Please be specific.

15. According to 2 Timothy 2:24–25, what should our default behavior be when dealing with challenging situations or when being attacked?

16. Does being gentle mean we must allow ourselves to be manipulated and walked over?

17. Being humble and gentle doesn't mean we can't enforce our boundaries. Some have defined "boundaries" in the following ways:
Boundaries means I have the right to …
… my own needs and feelings and to have them be as important as anyone else’s

… experience my feelings and express them, if I want

… decide my priorities

… be independent

… decide how I spend my time

… choose how I spend my life

… change my mind

… make mistakes

… develop and express my talents

…choose who I spend time with

… be treated with dignity and respect

… be listened to respectfully

… say no

… ask for what I want

… have my boundaries respected.

How well do you do with boundaries and are you able to maintain humility and gentleness in doing so?

18. How did we define patience?
Answer: overlooking others faults

19. How well do you do overlooking others faults? Do you have a tendency to treat others differently without talking with them about it when you see their faults?

20. How will we acquire more of these 4 graces in our lives based on Ephesians 3:16–19?

C. S. Lewis writes, “In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that—and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison—you do not know God at all. The real test of being in the presence of God is that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object.”


1. What are the results of experiencing God’s love according to Ephesians 3:16–19? ANSWERS: Power, strength, . being complete, fullness of life, power again.
Our tendency is to turn to every other thing to find what we need to live the life we want

If its our accomplishments we become self-promoting
If its by building self-worth by finding other’s faults we become judgmental
If its by self-love we become selfish and discover our own emptiness.
If its through knowledge we become proud
If its through discipline we cycle back and forth from arrogance to depression.

2. When we fail to turn to God’s love for fulness of life, what is it that you do turn to? Please be specific.


3. Please explain the dynamics listed above and why they result in negative behavior, so for instance, why does looking for ultimate satisfaction in our accomplishments lead to becoming self-promoting?


4. According to Philippians 2:3–4, what are we trying to do when we seek promote ourselves in the eyes of others?

Why is this wrong?


Read 1 Corinthians 1:26–29, 31

26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy* when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world,* things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God….

31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

Based on this text, what would be better to boast in, ourselves or God?


5. “Our ability to love your enemies is only possible with the love of God bc it is a selfless love and we are so used to getting something in return.”

Do you agree with this statement?

Why or why not?

What does it mean?

Do you see this pattern in your own life?

Are you able to admit that when you respond poorly to conflict or to loving the unlovely that you are loving with a selfish love? What can you do to demonstrate the selfless love of God in difficult situation next time?


6. We talked about the difference between “reacting” and “responding.”

Please explain the difference.

When we react, what are we focusing on?

When we respond, what are we focusing on?


7. Please read these two texts back to back:

Ezekiel 20:43 “You will look back on all the ways you defiled yourselves and will hate yourselves because of the evil you have done. 44 You will know that I am the Lord, O people of Israel, when I have honored my name by treating you mercifully in spite of your wickedness. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

James 4:8–9 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

What pattern do we see in these two verses?

Are you practicing this pattern as a vital part of your Christian life?

What happens to our faith when we ignore this pattern?


8. We discussed the difference between God as “Judge” and God as “Father.”

Which of these two ways do you tend to view God?

What is the difference?

Does seeing Him as Father tend to result in your dismissing the sin in your own life? Please explain.


9. We will talk more about this next week but for now, what does it mean to “live a life worthy of your calling?

In what ways are you living a life worthy of your calling and in what ways are you not?

In what concrete ways would you like to improve?

1. We mentioned 3 things that we tend to turn into an either/or instead of a both/and. Which do you tend toward:
A. Emotion or intellect? Please explain.
B. My faith is an individual thing or I'm only spiritual when I'm in a certain community? Please explain.
C. Withdrawal into isolation (personal time w God) vs. sacrificial service?

Read the following:
reality.
Jonathan Edwards wrote this in his diary, “Once, as I rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737, having alighted from my horse in a retired place, as my manner commonly has been, to walk for divine contemplation and prayer, I had a view, that for me was extraordinary. That must have been something of the glory of the Son of God, as Mediator between God and man, and his wonderful, great, full, pure, and sweet grace and love, and meek and gentle condescension.
This grace, that appeared so calm and sweet, appeared also great above the heavens. The person of Christ appeared ineffably excellent, with an excellency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception—which continued, as near as I can judge, about an hour; which kept me the greater part of the time in tears, and weeping aloud.
I felt an ardency of soul to be, what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied and annihilated; to lie in the dust, and to be full of Christ alone; to love him with a holy and pure love; to trust in him; to live upon him; to serve and follow him; and to be perfectly sanctified and made pure, with a divine and heavenly purity. I have, several other times, had experiences of very much of the same nature, and which have had the same effects."

2. What are your thoughts on this experience?

3. Have you ever had a similar experience? Please share.

4. Do you believe an experience like this is possible for you? Please dig deep here and be honest.

5. Please read Ephesians 3:14-21.
According to this text what do you envision Paul praying for you, what would Paul like to see happen in your spiritual walk with Jesus?

6. We mentioned 4 things:
A. Spiritual Preparation- You have to want to experience what Paul is talking about, and not be satisfied where you are at.
B. Gospel Comprehension- understanding more and more all that Jesus did for you on the cross and how much He loves you.
C. Truth Meditation- Here is an important meditation question to ask yourself, "If I really believed what I just read in the Scripture, how would I be different?"
D. Full Commitment- you have to call it out when you are being double-minded.

Which do you struggle with?

7. Please describe yourself in 1 to 5 years, what you will look like if you continue growing into the person That more and more reflects the image of Jesus. Dream big here. This should include little and big things. What do you want God to do in your life. Speak it out loud and share it with your group. Everyone should participate.

8. Please direct these responses to prayer. Pray Paul's prayer for each other as specifically as you can.

1. Now is a good time to take a look at where you are on Bible reading. A link to many Bible reading plans has been posted on the GL Facebook page.
How important is reading the Bible to you and your spiritual life?

What are some reasonable goals you have for Bible reading in 2016?

2. We listed 41 potential things we could work on in 2016 and they are listed below. Do you still recall the ones you have decided to focus on?

3. What are the situations that most often lead to your exhibiting the negative behavior that you want to move away from in 2016? Would you share these with the group?

4. What would it look like for you to respond in a Jesus way instead?

5. What are the things or persons that you usually blame for your negative behavior?

6. In blaming circumstances or other persons are you able to specify the misbelief you are telling yourself? What is it?

7. Do you believe change in your behavior and personality is possible? Do you have hope for 2016? Please explain.

8. Who is a good person to help hold you accountable to staying in the fight against these negative behaviors?

9. What are the positive behaviors that you want to introduce into your life in 2016? What are the things that you have been holding back on? Please share.

10. Will you be sharing the positive goals with your accountability partner?

Being authentic
Maintaining a positive attitude no matter the circumstance
Paying attention to our tone of your voice. Cultivate your tone of voice which is an open window through which people look into your soul.
Paying attention to the expression on our face
Not losing our composure. People cannot make you angry without your consent.
Breaking in and running away with a conversation while others are speaking. Always making the conversation all about us, versus asking questions that focus attention on the other person.
Using sarcasm, and wise cracks
Indifference in listening while others are speaking
Better to be a good listener than a good talker
Flattery as manipulation
Finding fault with the world and people in general, complaining
Challenging those with whom you disagree for the purpose of being on the opposite side
Giving advice to those who have not requested it. Free advice is worth as much as it cost.
Speaking of things that interest those to whom you are speaking as a form of love.
Seeking to be superior through words and topics unfamiliar to others. Negotiate with them on their own level.
Envy of those you consider successful.
Carelessness in personal appearance
We need to control our tongue, think first then speak. Don’t injure others with our words.
Do not strike back at others.
Taking the path of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.
Avoid controversial incidents, overlook. Don’t get into arguments about insignificant topics and this includes Facebook.
We must make it our practice to always see the good in others. Focus always on the good in others
Fix your mind positively at the beginning of each day through reading the Word and prayer.
Start each day with gratitude for what you have and what you will receive. "I complained about having no shoes until I saw the man with no feet."
Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Look for others who are worse off than you. Pity parties.
Meditate on what you can do towards your goals
Translate negative emotions into something positive
Remember that your strength grows out of your struggles
Look at life as a continual process of learning from pleasant and unpleasant experiences.
Realize your have been given complete control over your own mind.
Accept all criticism from others
Figure out who you want to be like and emulate them.
2 types of people who will never amount to anything, those who will not do what they are told and those who will do nothing else.
Part of natures method of disciplining people is through failure defeat and adversity, and it is your positive attitude that transforms these things into things of priceless value. No one desires to meet with these experiences.
Accepting full responsibility and never passing the buck.
Paying attention to detail.
Giving full attention to one thing at a time.
Mental attitude positive when in communication with other people
Giving direct answers.
Never puts off what he/she can do today. No procrastination.
Nothing can be called failure until we accept it as such.

1. We defined success this way: "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal." What is success in life for you for 2016? What is the worthy ideal you are seeking to achieve or live out?

2. Without a purpose, we are like a ship out on the open water without a crew or a destination. What is your purpose in 2016? What are you seeking to achieve and where do your hopes lie?

3. Read Matthew 7:7-8: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
As we are seeking, knocking, and asking, we will also be experiencing from time to time adversity, failure, and defeat. Notice the NLT translation of Matthew 7:7 says we receive what we ask for. Is it possible that we give up our seeking for that which we should truly desire because of the defeat we may experience in the meantime? Please explain.

4. So what should we be seeking, and asking for in 2016? What do we what Jesus to do in our lives and the life of our church in 2016?

5. We talked about some negative and some positive behaviors that we need to either stop or begin and they are listed here. Please discuss which ones are most applicable to the members of your group so that we can pray and hold each other accountable in 2016.

LIST:
Being authentic
Maintaining a positive attitude no matter the circumstance
Paying attention to our tone of your voice. Cultivate your tone of voice which is an open window through which people look into your soul.
Paying attention to the expression on our face
Not losing our composure. People cannot make you angry without your consent.
Breaking in and running away with a conversation while others are speaking. Always making the conversation all about us, versus asking questions that focus attention on the other person.
Using sarcasm, and wise cracks
Indifference in listening while others are speaking
Better to be a good listener than a good talker
Flattery as manipulation
Finding fault with the world and people in general, complaining
Challenging those with whom you disagree for the purpose of being on the opposite side
Giving advice to those who have not requested it. Free advice is worth as much as it cost.
Speaking of things that interest those to whom you are speaking as a form of love.
Seeking to be superior through words and topics unfamiliar to others. Negotiate with them on their own level.
Envy of those you consider successful.
Carelessness in personal appearance
We need to control our tongue, think first then speak. Don’t injure others with our words.
Do not strike back at others.
Taking the path of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.
Avoid controversial incidents, overlook. Don’t get into arguments about insignificant topics and this includes Facebook.
We must make it our practice to always see the good in others. Focus always on the good in others
Fix your mind positively at the beginning of each day through reading the Word and prayer.
Start each day with gratitude for what you have and what you will receive. "I complained about having no shoes until I saw the man with no feet."
Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Look for others who are worse off than you. Pity parties.
Meditate on what you can do towards your goals
Translate negative emotions into something positive
Remember that your strength grows out of your struggles
Look at life as a continual process of learning from pleasant and unpleasant experiences.
Realize your have been given complete control over your own mind.
Accept all criticism from others
Figure out who you want to be like and emulate them.
2 types of people who will never amount to anything, those who will not do what they are told and those who will do nothing else.
Part of natures method of disciplining people is through failure defeat and adversity, and it is your positive attitude that transforms these things into things of priceless value. No one desires to meet with these experiences.
Accepting full responsibility and never passing the buck.
Paying attention to detail.
Giving full attention to one thing at a time.
Mental attitude positive when in communication with other people
Giving direct answers.
Never puts off what he/she can do today. No procrastination.
Nothing can be called failure until we accept it as such.
6. Would anyone care to share what they wrote down on their card to focus on this year?

7. Would everyone really be willing to get together for dinner with the family, couple, or person Pastor Timothy would assign to them if you had a month to do so?

What's the relationship between Israel and the Church?

Text: Ephesians 2:11-22
1. How many times is the word peace used between vv. 14-17? ANSWER: 4
2. What is the verb used in v. 16 that performs the action bringing peace? ANSWER: Reconcile
3. What is the definition of reconcile?
ANSWER: "to make friendly relations between, to bring into agreement or harmony, to restore.
4. How did Jesus make peace between us and God?
5. What was the cause of us being separated from God?
6. Have you experienced reconciliation between you and God? Please explain.
7. How does Jesus give you peace in the midst of conflict?
8. The text speaks of reconciliation not only with God, but also reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles. How have you experienced division or alienation in your life? Have you experienced division or alienation as a result of becoming a Christian? Please explain.
9. In what ways do you struggle letting Jesus and your faith be your primary identity? Do you have people in your life that would not know you are a Christian?
10. How can you be an agent of peace and reconciliation in your family and in your church?