~Open in prayer~

Icebreakers
• If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose?
• What is your most used emoji?
• What’s your favorite way to get in some exercise?

MESSAGE REVIEW
Part of loving God is to seek Him. The more we seek Him, we will learn more about His personality and ways. As we get to know Him and His heart, we can truly fall in love with Him and receive love from Him. You cannot love that which you’ve never known, so seeking Him is the beginning of this journey. God wants us to know all the sides of Him that protect, that blesses, that delivers, that has power, that can raise the dead, the side that can cast out all fear. The more you know about Him, the more you know there is to love. God must be known in every aspect of His character, as well as every part He wants to reveal in scripture.

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!

•Read Philippians 3:7-14 Apostle Paul says in verse 8 that he counts all things “dung” which is animal waste and can be used for fertilizer. The fertilizer in our life can be pain, hurt, betrayals, and per Paul it can all be used to grow areas in our lives and to be used to catapult us to be all God wants us to be. In verse 12, Paul says God wants us to do to Him what He did for us. When Adam sinned, God was the aggressor, and now He wants us to chase after Him. In verse 13, Paul speaks about forgetting the past and moving toward the future. If you give all your energy to your history, you do it at the expense of your destiny. What are some things you consider “dung” in your past that helped fertilize your life? Why is it important to remain focused on moving forward and not stay “stuck” in the past?

•Read John 15:1-11 The bible says that Jesus is the “true vine” and his Father is the vinedresser. He states that if any branch in Him does not bear fruit, He takes it away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes. We cannot prune ourselves; only God can do this. The meaning of the word “abide” is to accept or act in accordance with. The scripture says for us to abide in Him. If we love Jesus, we will abide in Him. Share examples with the group of a time when God “pruned” you and how He did that. How has it impacted your life now?

•Our lives should be the example of living the life of a Christian. How do we speak? How do we treat others? Do we have His word in us and does it regulate the core values of our lives? Do we pray and speak His word back to Him? Do we come to God returning His word back to Him? Discuss these questions as a group.

PRAYER FOCUS & REQUESTS
Ask your members if they have any prayer requests or praise reports. As a group share the scriptures that you are using when you pray and speak God’s word back to Him. Encourage one another to do this.