Grab the How to Love God Guidebook here or in print on the weekends at Grace.
Week 1: Loving God with All Your Heart
- Jesus calls us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and
to love our neighbor as ourself. What are the specific implications of this in your life
currently? How are you doing good to those around you and loving them wholly and
completely? How could you better love God by loving others? - By loving God and loving others, we show that God’s love is IN us, and we point others
to who God is. Do you feel you are an effective conduit of God’s love? Are you openhanded with everything you have and everything you are? How could you grow to be
more like this? - Jesus shares in Matthew 5 that we are to reconcile with our brother or sister before
offering our gifts at the altar. Jesus asks us to bring those gifts to the altar but to leave
them there until we have reconciled with those who have something against us. Is
there someone in your life currently whom you need to reconcile with in this season?
What might it look like to take a step towards that reconciliation?
Week 2: Loving God with All Your Soul
- The parable of the rich fool is a powerful example of someone who did not fully love
God with all his soul, as he was focused more on amassing the possessions of this
world rather than giving to God and to God’s people. An earthly perspective on our
possessions is easy to fall into with the messages of the world that say, “more, more,
more.” Do you find yourself falling into this trap, seeking to build bigger barns to store
your surplus? How have you or are you combating this? - As Jesus is explaining his impending death to His disciples, He explains to them about
followership and that it requires that we take up our cross and follow Him, sacrificing
the comforts of this world for a greater good. By gaining in the world’s standards, it
often comes at the cost of losing our soul. Have you ever experienced this? How can
you be rich towards God as opposed to merely rich in this world? - Jesus also asks the question, “What can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
How is God currently asking you to love Him with all of your soul? What does that
practically mean in your life right now?
Week 3: Loving God with All Your Mind
- Jesus shares in the gospel of John chapter 8 that holding to the truth of His teachings
will set us free. By this we can love God with all of our mind. This seems to become
more and more challenging in a world that communicates relative truth. What are the
truths you hold to that keep you from being a slave to sin? - Jesus shares in Matthew 6 that we cannot serve both God and money. Money is the
only thing that God puts in opposition to Himself other than the enemy. Jesus writes
that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. What are things in your life right
now that are competing with Jesus for your heart? - It is often too easy for our minds to be shaped by the things and messages of this
world rather than the truths and promises of God. When the Apostle Paul writes that
we should offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, he shares
that this will help renew our minds in Jesus. What might this specifically look like for
you in your life currently?
Week 4: Loving God with All Your Strength
- The Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the church at Corinth the importance of self
discipline and that this race we run in our followership of Jesus requires training and
commitment to achieve the goal set before us in Christ. Do you consider yourself a
person of commitment, or is commitment something that is challenging for you? How
so or how not? - Paul shares in his second letter to his apprentice, Timothy, that he is being poured out
like a drink offering. In order to be poured out, there must be something in our cup
to pour. Do you feel “filled up” with the things of God in your life right now, or are you
running on empty spiritually? - Paul shares that he has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. The
strength that this requires after everything Paul has been through is immeasurable.
Some of us go through more life struggles and temptations than others, but holding
fast to Jesus’ teachings and to His ways require strength and commitment to finish
the race strong. As you think about your role in The Good Initiative, where do you find
yourself on this journey? How can your group encourage you in this?
Week 5: Loving Your Neighbor As Yourself
- Jesus talks about what is required in order for us to inherit eternal life, and He shares
that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and
to love our neighbor as ourselves. That’s what we’ve been talking about in this series,
and it is the key to following God and the key to eternal life. Do you feel that you’re
taking hold of the life that is truly life, the eternal one? Or if you’re honest, do you
feel that you are pursuing earthly passions that point more to a love of self or to
selfish desires? - Jesus shares in the parable of the good Samaritan what it looks like to love our
neighbor. The good Samaritan sacrificed in order to care for this other man,
sacrificing convenience, comfort, time, and even money. Why did he do that, and
would you find yourself with the same willing heart in this situation? - As you think about your role in The Good Initiative, what excites you about the
future and what God is doing at Grace? How can your group be praying for you and
supporting you in your next steps on this journey?
