Spiritual parenting is an important responsibility for all disciples of Jesus.

Key Points:

• Purposeful friendships are intentional, vulnerable, sacrificial, and spiritual.
• Purposeful friendships are growing from casual to intentional.
  • Deep, meaningful friendships do not happen accidentally. They require regular, intentional investment of our time, energy, and care.
• Purposeful friendships are growing from surfacey to vulnerable.
  • Vulnerability is risky, but it is the only way to experience deep trust that allows for meaningful encouragement, accountability, and love.
• Purposeful friendships are growing from comfortable and convenient to sacrificial.
  • Real friendships are messy and challenging, but the sacrifices are worth the reward of deep connection and joyful satisfaction.
• Purposeful friendships are growing from self-centered (secular) to Christ-centered (spiritual).
  • Christ-centered friendships have transcendent, supernatural quality because we are drawn together by our shared pursuit to know, love, and serve Jesus.
• Biblical Friendships
  • Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1:15-18)
  • David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:1-4, 20:16-17, 20:41-42)
  • Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45)
  • Jesus and His Disciples (John 15:9-17 NLT)
  • The Women who followed Jesus (Luke 8:1-3, 23:48, 55-56, 24:1-12)
  • Paul and Barnabas (Acts 9:26-28, 11:19-30, 13:2)

Scriptures:

• Proverbs 27:6

Key Points:

• Forgiveness is a choice that sets us free from the pain of an offense. Forgiveness is a complex transformation in us which involves releasing anger, bitterness, resentment, and pain to replace it with love.
• Unforgiveness is a choice that imprisons us.

Quotes:

• “I don’t know if forgiveness is something you can do on you own unaided will power…It is something you can invite God to do in you, and you just give him consent.” - Ian Morgan Cron

Scriptures:

• Matthew 18:21-22

Key Points:

• A right / healthy relationship with God is the foundation for right / healthy relationships with others.
• Conviction of sin is a gift that reveals God's grace at work in our lives preparing us to change course.
• It is our response to sin that will either quality or disqualify us to be included in God's family and participate in God's purposes.
• When seeking forgiveness, justice is not on our side. Our only hope is to appeal to the mercy and love of God.
• Unforgiven sin separates us from God, robs us of joy and gladness, crushes our bones, and sabotages our purpose.
• Receiving forgiveness restores our relationship with God, increases our joy and gladness, gives life to our bodies, and frees us to fulfill God's purpose.
• God will not forgive what we are willing to tolerate, justify, or hide.
• True forgiveness moves us beyond behavior modification to heart transformation.

Prayer:

• Come, Holy Spirit, and stir in our hearts the gift of conviction. Increase our awareness of any sinful thoughts, attitudes, or actions that are hindering our relationship with you, ourselves, or others. Expose any sins of omission - the good we have failed to do. Holy Father, prepare our hearts to respond and receive by grace through faith your gracious forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• What consequences of sin am I noticing in my life?
• How am I experiencing God's gracious conviction of sin?
• How have I been hiding, justifying, rationalizing, or accepting my sin?
• Am I ready to respond to God's invitation with confession and repentance? Am I ready to trust God for cleansing, forgiveness, and transformation?

Scriptures:

• Psalm 51

Key Points:

• God speaks to disciples from the inside out. "Our life is connected to our listening. Our living is connected to our hearing."
• Clarity often follows after obedience. The more we listen and obey, the easier it becomes to discern the Spirit's leading.
• Spiritual discernment is relational and wholistic. It is often more art than science...and it's okay to use your Spirit-infused mind.
• Spiritual discernment is best done in community.
• When the Spirit speaks, He will be aligned with Scripture and pointing toward Jesus.
• Spiritual discernment requires a willingness to be surprised.

Quotes:

• "If it resonates with the character of Jesus ('gentle and humble in heart' [Matt. 11:29]), evidences the fruit of the Spirit, and rings true to God's love and Word, then take a step of faith and see what happens." - Dan Wilt

Scriptures:

• Acts 2:1-4, Acts 8:26-41, Acts 15:22-41
• John 14:16-17
• 1 Corinthians 2:16

Key Points:

• The Spirit of God often moves uniquely when God's people gather in one place together.
• God calls all people to salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
• God calls all people to serve God's mission.
• The Holy Spirit fills and empowers all who surrender to serve God's mission.
• Our response to God's call impacts generations.

Reflection Questions:

• When / how did you respond to God's call to salvation?
• When / how have you responded to God's call to mission / service?
• When have you been blessed by someone else responding to God's call to mission / service?
• How is God calling you? How are you responding? How are you trusting the Holy Spirit to fill and empower you?

Scriptures:

• Acts 2:1-41

Key Points:

• Pre-Christian: Prevenient Grace
  • The Holy Spirit reveals God's grace before we even trust Jesus as Savior.
• Almost Christian: Convicting / Convincing Grace
  • The Holy Spirit begins convicting us of sin and our need for a Savior.
• Salvation: Justifying Grace
  • When we trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit pours out God's justifying grace to save us.
• Regeneration: Being born again
  • By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are born from above.
• Initial Sanctification: The moment we trust in Jesus as our Savior, we receive the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and begins the lifelong process of sanctifying us to reflect the image of Christ.
• Consecration and Entire Sanctification: The Holy Spirit fills us entirely, setting us free from the power of sin to walk in holy love toward God, self, and others.
• Growth in Sanctification: The Holy Spirit continues sanctifying us through and through until we stop breathing.
• Ultimate / Final Glorification in Christ
• "A Christian is as full of the Holy Spirit as he wants to be. We can beg to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We can talk about it, but until we are willing to empty ourselves, we will never have the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our lives. God will fill as much of us as we allow Him to fill...Are you sure you want to be filled with a Spirit, who, though He is like Jesus in His gentleness and love, will nevertheless demand to be Lord of your life?" - A.W. Tozer, The Crucified Life: How to Live Out A Deeper Christian Experience

Reflection Questions:

• Are you ready to take the next step to surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life?

Scriptures:

• Galatians 5:1-6, 13-26

Key Points:

• Exercising our spiritual gifts GIVES life to the body of Christ and REVEALS life to the world.
• Giftless Christianity is lifeless Christianity.
• A spiritual gift is "a supernatural ability or capacity given by God to enable the Christian to minister and to serve." - Kenneth Kinghorn, Gifts of the Spirit
• Discovering your spiritual gifts:
  • Pray and ask God to reveal your gifts.
  • Invite brothers and sisters in Christ to help discern your gifts.
  • Look for fruitfulness and joyfulness in ministry.
  • Adopt a posture of curiosity and experimentation.
• Why would you sacrifice time and energy to serve?
  • Serving overflows from new life in Christ.
  • Serving multiplies life IN YOU and THE BODY.
  • Serving multiplies life THROUGH YOU TO THE WORLD.

Links:

• Spiritual Gifts Assessment

Scriptures:

• James 2:26
• 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 27
• Exodus 31:1-5
• Ephesians 4:16