1. What does Genesis 17 teach us about God? 2. Do you find yourself resonating with any character in Abraham's family? Who and why? 3. Read Exodus 34:6-7. What character of God have you personally experienced recently in your life? 4. Read Ephesians 2:11-15. What do these verses say about those who are in relationship with Jesus? 5. How does is understanding our relationship with Jesus as a COVENANT relationship new or different to you?
May 23, 2021•36 min
Sunday, May 16 Genesis 16 What is the spiritual and emotional difference between chapter 15 and 16 with Abram and Sarai? How can you rationalize such quality of relationship with God 'mood swing'? Have you ever had a chapter of your life when you really felt close to God and then the next chapter your faith fails? (Ask some to share of their time) Review the paradigm that Mike mentioned for living out God’s promises: PROMISE --> Pathway --> PROVISION. Why is the “pathway” to the provision ...
May 16, 2021•40 min
Genesis 15 If you gave yourself a letter grade on your over all prayer life, what grade would you give yourself (A, B, C, D, F)? In what area(s) are you strongest in prayer and what area(s) are you the weakest? How many names for God can you think of? What do the varioius names of God tell us about God? Genesis 15:1, 12 – What emotions was Abram struggling with in chapter 15 and how did God help him address those? What is an emotion that has crippled you in the past? Can you point to prayer as a...
May 09, 2021•33 min
We hope you enjoy and benefit from Grace Point Church's messages. Thank you for taking time to listen!
May 02, 2021•39 min
Genesis 12-13 Share a time in your life, work, relationship, or family, that you had such a misalignment that you had to walk away to be at peace. In what way was Abram partially obedient to God’s clear directive? Compare and contrast Genesis 12:1 with 12:4. How did the prosperity of Lot, and Abram’s time in Egypt, become a contributing factor to their loss of tranquility? Gen 13:1-5 Can you think of a time when blessings (maybe prosperity) ended up messing up a family and causing dissension? Qu...
Apr 25, 2021•44 min
Introductory for Gary Thomas's seminar, "Cherish, which was held on Sunday evening, April 18, 2021.
Apr 18, 2021•37 min
Genesis 11:27-12:9 What does “blessing” mean? Read Gen 12:1-3 and then read Psalm 103:1-5 and list out the qualities of a blessed life. What does it mean when Mike said the life principle: "when I chose to live outside of God’s will, I chose to live outside of God’s blessing?" What kind of past did Abram need to break from (Genesis 12:1)? Why was it important to break ties from his family of origin? Can you think of things from your family of origin that keep you from living the full blessed lif...
Apr 11, 2021•44 min
April 3 and 4, 2021 John 15:12-16 What simple definitions can you put on the following statements: •Jesus is Savior •Jesus is Lord •Jesus is Friend Each person in the group needs to assess how well they know Jesus in the three ways (listed above). What does a friendship with Jesus look like? Think practically and personally. Read John 15:12-16. Make a list of the following from the various members of your group: What does this passage teach me about God? What does it teach me about myself? What ...
Apr 04, 2021•32 min
This week’s message is a little different! We are surveying from Genesis to the Gospels, the story line of the sacrificial lamb from the beginning of the fall to the entrance of Christ and to His death on the cross. Read each section of Scripture and ask two questions about each text. I will give you the focal verses, please read the verses before and after the ones listed below to help you understand the context. The 2 questions are… What does this text teach me about God? What does this text t...
Mar 28, 2021•46 min
"Making a Name for Yourself" Genesis 10:1 - 11:1-9 In Genesis 1-11, we see a crescendo of humanity's proclivity to sin resulting in 3 crisis – the fall in the garden, in the flood, and in the failure of the tower of Babel. In the end, why is sin really that big of a deal? Why does God continue to initiate and pursue his creation? All of Scripture is the revelation of God. If someone were to ask you, “How do we see God in Genesis 1-11,” how would you answer them? How does God reveal himself to us...
Mar 21, 2021•40 min
Genesis 6:5-14 How did our world get to the way it is today? (all the pain, brokenness and sorrow) How does Paul describe the world in which we live? (see Romans 8:22) Mike keeps using the phrase: “Vandalism of shalom”, what does that mean? Where do we see in Genesis 3-6 a loss of shalom? How did God show grace to Adam and Eve after they sinned? (see Gen 3:8-9) How does God show grace to Cain even after Cain murdered Abel? (Gen 4:15) When has God been gracious to you? Why is grace “unfair”? Is G...
Mar 14, 2021•42 min
Genesis 4:1-24 Of your parents, who do you most resemble ? Physically, emotionally and/or spiritually? What does it mean to worship? In the most basic meaning of the word? How was worship evidenced in the beginning of time (read 4:2-4) Did God have a response to their offerings? If so, what was it? What does it mean for God to regard one offering (Abel’s) and not regard another (Cain’s)? How should God’s response to offerings inform our offering today? What makes Abel’s offering so acceptable? H...
Mar 07, 2021•43 min
Truth and Consequences Series, "Origins, Message 7 Genesis 3:7-24 Re-read and review Genesis 3:1-7 Take a moment and first review the last 2 messages. One message on the crafty deceiver Satan (February 7), last week’s message on the vulnerable prey in Eve and Adam. How did they succumb to the crafty deceptive Satan? Mike said Gen 3:1-7 is a microsome of a lot of people’s lives. How is that so? (ANSWER: a. there is no mention of God consciousness. B. people were living according to their passions...
Feb 21, 2021•41 min
Genesis 3:1-7 What was Mike talking about when he talking about dancing with the devil? How is that a dance with death? For Eve to be considered a ‘vulnerable prey’ - what does that mean? How did Eve negotiate with Satan and why is that a dangerous posture to have with the devil? (v.1-3) When have you tried to negotiate away one of God’s truth’s only to find you in a pain of regret? Explain the difference in living by principle v. by passion. What are the primary passions that Satan has been tem...
Feb 14, 2021•33 min
Genesis 3:1-7 Are we born innocent and perfect or are we born with a sinful nature? (Psalm 51:5, Jeremiah 17:9) What facts do you know (or did you learn) about the Serpent in Genesis 3:1? Read Romans 5:12. How does the fall (or failure) of Adam and Eve impact us still today? Read Jeremiah 17:9 and Genesis 3:1. How have our hearts been influenced by the character and conduct of Satan? Mike said: Deception is a LIE posing as TRUTH. Do you agree or disagree? If you disagree, how would you define “d...
Feb 07, 2021•40 min
Genesis 2:18-25; 5:1-2 What are the two timeless truths of marriage that Mike listed? Why is singleness considered good and even a gift for some? (Matthew 19:10-12; 1 Corinthians 7:1-2) How is it that God’s counsel from the Bible is so valuable and reliable to us when crafting our lives and marriage? (Psalm 33:11; Deut 30:11-20) The number of options on blueprints for marriage are too numerous to count. Why should we consider (or just limit ourselves to) God’s blueprint, when there are so many o...
Jan 31, 2021•38 min
Genesis 2:1-3; 15-16 1. What was Mike saying when he said: "For too many of us work dictates our life. Life should dictate our work." 2. In broad strokes, how does God model for us a good work-life balance? 3. Does God see QUALITY and QUANTITY as enemies? Have different people read these verses and find the quality and quantity factor: Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31) 4. After reading Gen 1:26, 28, and 2:15, what role do we play in caring for this world and environment in which we we live? 5. Wh...
Jan 24, 2021•43 min
Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-3 When Mike talked about “we have an identity crisis,” what was the crisis to which he is referring? Do you also see it? What is the danger of anchoring our identity to the wrong marker in our life? What are the five divine markers that should make up our identity? How does the diversity of the two genders (male and female) help us see the alignment around our identity with the image of God (Gen 1:26-27)? If we were made in the image AND likeness of God, how are these two di...
Jan 17, 2021•38 min
HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD? Genesis 1:1-3 What relational connection does Mike emphasize Genesis 1-2 and Revelation 21-22 have? (God’s perfect worlds) Why do some say that Gen 1:1-2 are the most important verses in Genesis, maybe the entire old testament? Can Science and the Scriptures be studied at the same time? Which (science or Scripture) should have the ultimate authority when there is apparent contradictions? What does it mean when we say God is transcendent? How does a transcendent God give us c...
Jan 03, 2021•47 min
Christmas Eve message, part four of the series, "The Gift."
Dec 24, 2020•30 min
Isaiah 9:6-7 Review the 'value add' that Jesus is to our life when we see him as our WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD? What is the difference between the transcendence of God and the immanence of God? How is God both near and far? Approachable and beyond approach? God is with us and God is beyond us. Reflect on a time when Jesus has shown you to be your caring and compassionate, or clear and directional, Father. What does it mean to have an ‘everlasting’ Father? How is having and “everlasting Fat...
Dec 20, 2020•44 min
Isaiah 9:6-7 Who was your favorite superhero growing up (or maybe now)? Why? How does Jesus encourage us to respond when the 'world's gloom' or trials overwhelm us? (John 16:33) How does light dispel the gloom (or darkness) in us? Share a time when Jesus brought light to a gloomy period. (John 8:12) Why do some people have a hard time believing Jesus is God? Share how you came to faith in Jesus as God. See below a list of prophecies of Jesus (Messianic prophecies) and have the group read through...
Dec 13, 2020•44 min
Isaiah 9:1-7 Beyond some direct impact of the COVID virus attacking the body, what other residual impacts have you seen happen in this pandemic season? (eg. loneliness, depression, anxiety, etc) How do you help people through the residual impacts? Or how are you coping with the residual impacts you are experiencing? When considering Jesus to be our WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, which emotional response do you think or feel? •Wish I could set an appointment with Him. •I got this. Only weak people use coun...
Dec 06, 2020•44 min
Grace Point Church is joining in prayer for the Little Horse people group in East Asia. In this episode, Caleb Gabriele interviews a missionary to the area.
Nov 29, 2020•44 min
Proverbs 16:18-20 Why do you think having a heart of thanksgiving vs. having a heart of pride are so counter to each other? Describe a time in your life when you had a heart of thanksgiving. Describe a time the you had a heart of pride. Mike said in a Life PRINCIPLE: Pride is innate; gratitude is a choice. Do you believe this? How have you seen it lived out in your own life experience? How dangerous is pride? Divide up the verses and let people read them and list out the impact of pride. (Prover...
Nov 22, 2020•44 min
Proverbs 16:1-4 If someone were to ask you "what is the meaning of life?" - Could you answer them in a clear and compelling statement in under 30 seconds? Read Proverbs 16:1-4 – What are the key words in this text that point to the domains of our life? What is a common word that is true in every verse (LORD)? How should “the LORD” be defining and influencing our purpose in life? EXISTENCE: Do you ever struggle with why you are alive? (Jeremiah 20:18) How do you reconcile your answer with Scriptu...
Nov 15, 2020•44 min
Prov 12:17-19 From your own experience, what was the most life-giving conversation you have ever experienced? Be as specific as you want, but what was an example of a debilitating conversation you have experienced? (Prov 18:2) Why is the heart the first line of defense for guarding the speech? (Prov 4:23-24; Matt 12:34) Can you recall all the "methods of mass destruction" our speech can generate? (lies, arguments, slander, gossip) How much does God hold us accountable for our mass destruction? (...
Nov 08, 2020•44 min
Take an extended time in this week's meeting to pray for our nation, our leaders and the election. Read 1 Tim 2:1-2. Start your time with prayer or it may be good to end your discussion with a prayer time. Follow the prompting of God’s Spirit in your life. Message Title: Fools, Wise and Otherwise What are the 3 primary behaviors that Proverbs speaks of? (wise, foolish, and Evil) What are the traits of the behavior of a wise person? (Prov 1:5) How do you correct a wise person? (Prov 9:6; 15:31-32...
Nov 01, 2020•44 min
Key Text: Proverbs 27:17 What does it mean to be free? How did Nathan define freedom? (Freedom is not the ability to do what you want; it is the capability to be who you were created to be.) To be free, we must love our neighbor. (Galatians 5:13-15 and Mark 12:30-31). How can we as a group love our neighbors? We are free to fill our calendars with whatever we want, but oftentimes we fill it with things that really don’t matter. To be who we were created to be, we need a community of believers. D...
Oct 25, 2020•44 min
Proverbs 5:1-2, 21 Do you agree or disagree with the statement that your marriage is the most important relationship on earth? Is it more important than your parenting relationships? What is a fatal attraction in 1 word (adultery)? What all does adultery cover? What are the primary ways a person is seduced (Proverbs 2:16; 6:24-25; 7:21-22)? How does adultery damage a marriage (Proverbs 5:11, 22; 6:26, 32; 7:21,23, 27)? Divide these verses among the group and read each out loud, while long listin...
Oct 18, 2020•44 min
