Relational Spirituality Study 4

Relational Spirituality Study

WEEK 4 WEEKLY GROUP TIME

LOOKING BACK (Care and Accountability)

· How was your week (highlights, difficulties, challenges, etc.)?

· In what way did you influence someone this week in their relationship with the King?

Relational Spirituality

WEEK FOUR

“As a communion of three persons, God is a relational being. He originates a personal relationship with us, and our high and holy calling is to respond to his loving initiatives. By loving God completely, we discover who we are and whose we are as we come to see ourselves as God sees us. In this way, we become secure enough to become others-centered rather than self-centered and enables us to become givers rather than grabbers.”

Part Two: Loving Ourselves Correctly

“We can be defined either by our world or by our God. To love ourselves correctly is to see ourselves as God sees us. This involves a process of exposure to the truths of Scripture with a view to understanding our new identity in Christ Jesus.”

This Week’s Focus: Our Identity

Directions: There are assigned passage(s) for five days each week. Read them in light of the Relational Spirituality theme and the Week’s Focus found directly above.

A daily spiritual discipline is to learn to hear God’s voice from his Word. Please don’t look at this as a homework assignment.

Find a quiet place each day to read the passage(s) slowly a couple of times through. 


Summarize the passage(s) under the questions:

1. “What was said?” 
 Write down what the author was saying to his original audience.

2. “What was God saying?” 
Write down what God was/is saying.

3. “What is God saying to you?” 
 Apply the passage’s meaning to you today.

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

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DAY 1 PASSAGE: Romans 8:1

Romans 8:1–4 ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

1. “What was said?” 
 Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. Those who are in Christ, who have become followers of Jesus, cannot be condemned, cannot be sentenced to punishment. Jesus bore our punishment and has set us free. We were in line to be sentenced to punishment and we were unable to change that, through the law or otherwise.

2. “What was God saying?” 
Write down what God was/is saying. We are not guilty, we cannot be punished either eternally or presently, we can be disciplined but not condemned. We are free to live in freedom to obedience, not slavery to the law or sin. Jesus did this for us. The requirements have been met.

3. “What is God saying to you?” 
 Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. I condemn myself, but God doesn’t. It’s my shame and guilt that drives my behavior at times. Sometimes it’s just rebelliousness, but even so, I am in Christ, I can’t be condemned. If I live by the Spirit I will walk in true freedom, not to disobey but to obey.

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

DAY 2 PASSAGE: Romans 8

Romans 8:14–17 ESV

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

1. “What was said?” 
 Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. All who are led by the Spirit and not led by the flesh are sons of God. We have been adopted, our Spirit confirms this, we can call God Abba, we are heirs with Christ, but we must be willing to suffer for His name.

2. “What was God saying?” 
Write down what God was/is saying. God gave us His Spirit to confirm our adoption, we have no need to fear. What is causing fear?

3. “What is God saying to you?” 
 Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. What is causing fear? Am I afraid to suffer? For others to suffer? Am I confident in my adoption? Is the Spirit alive in me and leading me?

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

DAY 3 PASSAGE: Romans 8

Romans 8:18–19 ESV

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

1. “What was said?” 
 Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. Here is a perspective verse, no matter what you’re going through, and it could be awful, it pales in comparison to the future glory that awaits, and all of creation is anxious for it to be realized.

2. “What was God saying?” 
Write down what God was/is saying. Again, God is asking if we realize this, or are we so caught up in this place that is not our home, that we don’t understand, or are anxious about our circumstances. Persecution hasn’t come much yet, but it will, and if it’s for the name of Jesus then we are doing something right. But we should be focusing on what’s to come, the glory that awaits.

3. “What is God saying to you?” 
 Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. Focus on things above, on Jesus and what He did for us, to secure heaven for us, understand that in this world there will be suffering, but a future hope and glory await us.

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

DAY 4 PASSAGE: Romans 8

Romans 8:26–30 ESV

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

1. “What was said?” 
 Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us, actually prays in our place, even with groans and God hears Him. At the same time, the circumstances we are enduring are working together with other circumstances for the greater good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes, our suffering isn’t useless or pointless, it’s accomplishing something, in us and making us like Jesus, but also through us for others and for His kingdom.

2. “What was God saying?” 
Write down what God was/is saying. See things from my vantage point, understand what I’m doing, read the fine print, think about others, I am accomplishing my will because I am sovereign, it’s all about Jesus and the kingdom.

3. “What is God saying to you?” 
 Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. I am weak in the flesh, but strong in the Spirit, when I’m weak the Spirit’s got me. But do I totally trust God, especially when His plan doesn’t make sense to me? I know He’s going to accomplish His will, I’m stuck with how great or small a role I’m playing in this.

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

DAY 5 PASSAGE: Romans 8

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1. “What was said?” 
 Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. God is obviously for us, the Church, because Jesus died for the Church. We cannot be condemned, God will give us what we need, He has already justified us, He is currently sanctifying us, and He will most certainly glorify us. We have an advocate, Jesus who is at God’s right hand interceding for us, no nothing can or will separate us from God’s love. We are conquerors because Jesus conquered for us, everything is below His feet.

2. “What was God saying?” 
Write down what God was/is saying. God is for the Church, He will finish what He has started and we will be with Him because all that could oppose us has been defeated, we are safe and secure in God’s love.

3. “What is God saying to you?” 
 Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. You are loved by God, held by God, secure in God, significant to God, accepted by God, nothing can take you from Him.

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

LOOKING UP (Scripture and Discussion)

· What did you hear God saying in the readings this week?

· What did you hear God saying to you in the readings this week?

· What word, phrase or passage got your attention this week? And why?

· How has it changed the way you live or the way that you see the world?

LOOKING FORWARD (Prayer and Commissioning)

· Personal: Based on our time today, how can we pray for you and for one another?

· Mission: How can you influence someone this week in their relationship with the King?

Unlimited Potential, Inc. | 2020