Devotional Spirituality Study 6

Falling In Love With God

1. Life and Ministry

How was your week? What is God doing around you? How did you influence someone this week in their relationship with Christ?

Main Idea

What are the keys to loving God, and how can we cultivate a growing intimacy with him? This section explores what it means to enjoy God and to trust in him. Henry Scougal observed that “the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love.” We are most satisfied when we seek God’s pleasure above our own, and we gradually become conformed to what we most love and admire.

Overview

As we grow in our understanding that God is our highest good, we become increasingly willing to renounce the aspirations of the world so that we can pursue God’s pleasure. These verses focus on the abiding relationship with Jesus and cultivating a passion for him.

Sub-Themes

Our Image of God: Session 1 & 2

The Contemplative Way: Sessions 3-5

Falling in Love with God: Sessions 6-8

Principles and quotes come from Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation by Kenneth Boa

Directions

There are three passages for each week.

Read them in light of the Semester Theme and the Week’s Focus found in the boxed section 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.

1. Summarize the passage(s). You might want to journal it.

2. What is God saying to you through the passage(s)? (Commands to obey, praise to give, sin to confess, example to follow, etc.) Make note of it to better remember it.

3. What does it mean to fear God? Another way to say it, what does the fear of God look like in a Christ follower’s day?

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you in your weekly group meeting. (No question mark needed here) The key to effective application: Being a group member of like-minded Christ followers for encouragement and accountability.

Psalm 103:1-5

English Standard Version Psalm 115

To Your Name Give Glory

115 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2  Why should the nations say,

“Where is their God?”

3  Our God is in the heavens;

he does all that he pleases.

4  Their idols are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

5  They have mouths, but do not speak;

eyes, but do not see.

1. Summarize the passage(s). You might want to journal it.

2. What is God saying to you through the passage(s)? (Commands to obey, praise to give, sin to confess, example to follow, etc.) Make note of it to better remember it.

3. What does it mean to fear God? Another way to say it, what does the fear of God look like in a Christ follower’s day?

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you in your weekly group meeting. (No question mark needed here)

Psalm 103:6-14

English Standard Version Psalm 115

6  They have ears, but do not hear;

noses, but do not smell.

7  They have hands, but do not feel;

feet, but do not walk;

and they do not make a sound in their throat.

8  Those who make them become like them;

so do all who trust in them.

9  O Israel, trust in the LORD!

He is their help and their shield.

10  O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!

He is their help and their shield.

11  You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!

He is their help and their shield.

12  The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us;

he will bless the house of Israel;

he will bless the house of Aaron;

13  he will bless those who fear the LORD,

both the small and the great.

14  May the LORD give you increase,

you and your children!

1. Summarize the passage(s). You might want to journal it.

2. What is God saying to you through the passage(s)? (Commands to obey, praise to give, sin to confess, example to follow, etc.) Make note of it to better remember it.

3. What does it mean to fear God? Another way to say it, what does the fear of God look like in a Christ follower’s day?

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you in your weekly group meeting. (No question mark needed here)

Psalm 103:15-22

English Standard Version Psalm 115

15  May you be blessed by the LORD,

who made heaven and earth!

16  The heavens are the LORD’s heavens,

but the earth he has given to the children of man.

17  The dead do not praise the LORD,

nor do any who go down into silence.

18  But we will bless the LORD

from this time forth and forevermore.

Praise the LORD!

1. Summarize the passage(s). You might want to journal it.

2. What is God saying to you through the passage(s)? (Commands to obey, praise to give, sin to confess, example to follow, etc.) Make note of it to better remember it.

3. What does it mean to fear God? Another way to say it, what does the fear of God look like in a Christ follower’s day?

4. Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you in your weekly group meeting. (No question mark needed here)

Weekly Group Time

Hearing from God

a. What is God saying through His Word?

b. What passage of Scripture spoke to you?

c. How did it change the way you live?

Talking to God

a. What do we need to say…to God about others and His Kingdom?

b. Personal: From the discussion, what can we pray for you?

c. Ministry: Where do you need God’s help in ministry this week?