Unleashed

Unleashed

Shoreline Christian Center |

Unleashed Pastor Rob Koke

Unleashed

Unleashed

Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Note from Pastor Rob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Video response sheet: Session 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Week 1 discussion: Bigger Is Always Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Video response sheet: Session 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Week 2 discussion: Image Is Everything . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Video response sheet: Session 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Week 3 discussion: One Size Fits All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Video response sheet: Session 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Week 4 discussion: I’ve Found Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Video response sheet: Session 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Week 5 discussion: Just Do It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Video response sheet: Session 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Week 6 discussion: Who Do You Think You Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

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Unleashed

W

Unleashed

e are so excited about this campaign called Unleashed! God is amazing. He is greater that the entire uni-

verse. He is all powerful and is everywhere. Yet, He passionately loves you and me and is concerned with

It’s about celebrating the mystery…

the affairs of our lives. Life is full of myths and traditions that keep us

It’s about getting unreligious…

from unlocking the precious truths of God. They keep us from enjoying God. When we think that we have God all figured out, we actually have not. In fact, we have just put

It’s about breaking free from the thoughts that box us in…

ourselves into a box of religious thinking. Unleashed will challenge you to re-examine those traditions in the light of a fresh view of God’s heart

It’s about the church unleashed….

for us. Let’s follow hard after God as we do this study together. I can assure you that your life will never be the same. You will be . . . UNLEASHED!

| Shoreline Christian Center


Unleashed

Unleashed Video Response Sheet Session 1

Oh, the depth of the riches of the ________________________ and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his paths are beyond ________________________ out!

Romans 11:33

Our ability to fulfill the greatest commandment, Love God with all your heart soul mind and strength and ____________________ _____________________ ______________________ as your self, is based on how we ____________________ ourselves. God loves ____________________. God loves ____________________. He ____________________ you just the way you are, unconditionally. Understand the difference between ________________________ and ________________________. Significance comes from your ________________________ in Christ. ________________________ things are done in ______________________. Recognize that we have and ________________________ in who we are in Christ. | Shoreline Christian Center


Unleashed

Unleashed What talents and abilities has God given you?

WEEK 1 Bigger Is Always Better GOD LOVES DIVERSITY

We need to recognize that God loves us perfectly, completely and unconditionally. We do not have to prove ourselves to Him.

Read 1 John 4:18

Insecurity is related to fear. Fear of not being good enough or not measuring up. There is nothing we can do to merit the favor of God. In other words, we cannot “earn” God’s love. God’s love is not based on our vanity, our performance, or our works. It is a gift of His grace.

Read Ephesians 2:8-9

Some people have tried to take the wonder and awe out of Christianity. They try to figure it all out, to answer every question, reducing God to fit into a mold, a box, creating a boring, legalistic, essentially dead religion. God desires us to know Him, not a powerless, lifeless, false image of Him that we create. Sometimes people try to put up a false front to hide their insecurities. We see it everywhere; people who try to hide it with fast cars, big boats, and “bad” attitudes. Sometimes these are a cover for the lack they feel inside. It is so hard to live with the aching feeling that we do not measure up, are not good enough or do not have enough. We think that bigger is better so we continue to buy more, do more. Insecurity is a symptom of the myth, bigger is always better. Nothing in this world will satisfy what our hearts are searching for and our desire to feel significant. We need to be Unleashed from the myth that bigger is better. Let’s look at some of the real truths that we can draw authentic value from.

God’s grace, His unmerited favor, is an expression of His love and goodness to the undeserving. A great way to understand and explain God’s grace is by making an acrostic out of the first letters of grace, “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” His love is perfect, complete, unconditional, and is based upon His character.

PROMINENCE VS. SIGNIFICANCE

Read Psalm 8:1 and Romans 11:33

God’s character is unchanging, yesterday, today and tomorrow it is the same. We all have feelings of insecurity. We should place our confidence in God and have faith in Him. It is the absence of faith or trust in God that is the basis of our insecurity. What are some ways God has revealed Himself to you that help unveil the awesomeness of His character? When you see how amazing and unchanging He is, does that make it easier for you to place your faith solely in Him? Instead of comparing ourselves and trying to compete with others to gage our worth, we need to realize how much we are valued by God. God loves diversity; He recognizes our uniqueness. Just as no two fingerprints are alike, there are no two people alike. Everyone has a part to play.

Read Ephesians 2:10 and 1 Corinthians 12:14-20

Does it seem too simple to you that God’s salvation is not based on our own good works?

Read John 3:16

God’s love is a part of who He is and a description of His being. He desires the highest good for us. Are there areas in your life where you measure your value according to the world instead of God? Prominence does not always mean significance. Many significant things are inconspicuous. Think about an automobile. Certainly, the body style is the most prominent feature, but one cannot dispute the fact that it is the engine that is more significant.

Read 1 Samuel 17:32-51

The story of David and Goliath in the Bible is a wonderful example of someone who was insignificant being used in a mighty way for God. He was not the most prominent person on the battlefield. In fact, the Bible says he was a mere boy! Yet he knew he had significance with God on his side even if he didn’t have prominence with men, and so he bravely killed the giant, Goliath. Standing strong with faith in God will bring you victory despite how impossible things may seem. Share a story of a time when you did something significant at a time when you or others did not view you as prominent? God’s love is amazing! We are so undeserving and yet He freely gives it to us. We are unleashed when we recognize that God’s love is not based on our own actions. We must realize we will never figure it all out; never fully grasp all the intricacies of God.

We are God’s workmanship created to carry out His plans for our lives. Because we are all part of one body, God knits together all of our talents and abilities to accomplish His plans and purposes. 10 | Shoreline Christian Center

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Unleashed Closing prayer:

Unleashed CONSIDER THIS . . .

Dear Heavenly Father, we are in awe of how great you are! Help us to grow in our understanding of your awesome character, and not try to reduce you, creating a false image of you. Holy Spirit, unleash us from our insecurities and help us to find our real value, our significance, in our relationship with you. We love you! In Jesus name. Amen.

ADDITIONAL STUDY

God is Unchangeable: “I the Lord do not change.” Malachi 3:6 God will not change. Immutable means “unchangeable.” His immutability is as eternal as He is. His character and being has not, will not, and cannot change. He may change how He deals with us at different times, but He Himself does not change. We however, do and must change if we are to become what God intends us to be.

God reveals Himself as a unique, one-of-a-kind being, and He has created each of us as unique and one-of-a-kind beings. There are infinite differences between our essential natures. One of the foremost differences is that He is uncreated and without beginning or ending, while each of us can point to a time of created beginning and unknown ending. Another difference is that God has no one to compare Himself. Isaiah 43:10 says “...Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.” We on the other hand, have an over abundance to compare ourselves.

God is Omnipresent: “Am I only a God nearby, and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him? Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 23:2324 (emphasis added)

We all want to feel important and special, and believe that if we measure ourselves against another we might find confirmation of this, but more often than not we end up seeing ourselves as having little or no traits of value to anyone. But God on the other hand sees us as we really are and still finds each one of us uniquely important to Him. What a joy to know that each of us, individually, is of great worth to God!

God is Perfect Faithfulness: “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.” Isaiah 25:1

IN-DEPTH God is all knowing. Thus God is omniscient. He knows all things at all times. His knowledge is flawless and perfect, whether it concerns past, present or future knowledge.

God is everywhere present at all times. He is all-present and without limits concerning space and time. His center is everywhere; His circumference or boundary is nowhere. His presence is very real. He is living in you, and is with you completely throughout life’s journey.

God is faithful. He is completely reliable and trustworthy. When He promises to do something He does it. Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope you profess, for he who promised is faithful.” God is Perfect Love: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I John 4:8 God’s very nature is love, which moves Him to love His children unconditionally. It is not just a passing emotional response; it is His will to give of Himself eternally. Oh how deep and rich is the love of God!

Concerning your life, God has: 1. Accurate possession of all the facts.........................Perfect knowledge

2. Full perception and interpretation of the facts.........Perfect understanding.

3. Proper application of the facts................................Perfect wisdom.

Because God is omniscient, He is infallible and incapable of error. God’s dealings with us as individuals or as a group are always perfect. This makes God the best, and only one, qualified to preside over every area of our lives.

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Video Response Sheet

WEEK 2

Session 2

Image Is Everything

YOU CAN’T DO IT!

Realize that you _______________ live the __________________.

Many people believe that image is everything; that we must put on our best face, make good first impressions, look our best. There are so many self-help books that promote, “fake it till you make it”. Our culture focuses on the exterior at the expense of the interior. It is amazing how that attitude creeps into our relationship with God! How many times do people miss out on a true relationship with God because they are trying to uphold an image? It is such a blessing to recognize that we do not have to settle for an image of Christianity, but that we can have the real deal…a life of intimacy with our creator.

It’s in __________________ we can’t do it that we find the ______________________ to connect

If we look back throughout the Bible, it is amazing how many people felt like they were ill equipped to be used by God. Perhaps they felt inferior, or worried that others viewed them as incapable.

This series is about becoming _____________________. We don’t have to settle for the image of Christianity when we can have the real thing.

to someone who gives us the power to do it. ‘. . . apart from me you can do nothing.’ John 15:5 Tap in to the ________________________ that is ________________________ to us in Christ. Our responsibility is to _____________________ with God. God wants us to ________________________, not to _____________________, but to ________________________. Our ________________________ are captivated by what we ________________________ on.

Read Exodus 4:10

Why did Moses feel unworthy of the calling God had for him?

Read Luke 1:28-38

Mary was young, poor, and unmarried. She possessed all the characteristics that, to the people of her day, would consider her to be unusable by God for any important task. But Mary found favor with God, and He chose her to be involved in one of the most miraculous events in all of history – the Mother of our Lord and Savior! How does it make you feel to read about Moses’ and Mary’s perceptions of themselves, and the perceptions of others, prior to God’s calling? These stories demonstrate their dependence on God. Many times God used and continues to use people like Moses and Mary so that He gets the glory. Are you trying to disqualify yourself because you do not feel you are the “perfect” choice for God’s service? Trust Him for He has made you worthy through the blood of His Son. We come to the right place when we recognize that we cannot live this Christian life alone, of our own accord. When we recognize that we cannot do it alone, we find the motivation to connect to a source that can help us. God is that source.



Unleashed

Read Genesis 3:2-5

Our enemy, Satan, knows that we are a prideful people and that we desire to know everything and be able to figure it all out. Satan tempted Eve by telling her that she and Adam could make it without God. Adam and Eve sinned because of their desire to be like God in wisdom and in understanding. Read John 15:5 What do you think it means, “apart from me you can do nothing”? Think about areas in your life where you’ve attempted things without God. When God calls us to do a certain task, it may not make sense to us at the time, but we are still to trust Him and follow passionately after Him. God never intended us to live this Christian life apart from Him.

Read Proverbs 3:5-6

Can you think of a time when God asked you to do something without giving you thorough step by step directions, and it did not make sense to you at the time? And, what were the results?

Read Isaiah 55:8-9

God’s ways are beyond our understanding. The Bible is clear that we cannot figure it all out. Once we realize that we cannot do it on our own, we need to come to Him, connect with Him, and remain in Him. Our only hope is to tap into God’s grace and power, which is so readily available to us.

Read Matthew 6:33

The word “seek” comes from the original Greek word “Zeteo”. This word was used to indicate a continual or constant seeking. When we follow after God, He will take care of us and provide for us. Where God guides us, He will provide for us. How do we seek after God?

PAY ATTENTION

Our attention does not follow our hearts as much as our hearts follow our attention.

Read Matthew 6:21 Read Hebrews 11:1 and 12:2

Do you have enduring confidence in God’s promises, even in the midst of tough situations? In Matthew 14, we read the story of Peter walking on the water. When Peter got out of the boat he walked towards Jesus. The Bible says that when Peter looked at the wind, the temporal, and took his eyes off Jesus, the eternal, then he began to sink. Without fixing his eyes on Jesus, Peter was powerless to walk on the water. Even amazing will power would not have given him the ability that God had 16 | Shoreline Christian Center

Unleashed given him. Our strength comes from the Lord.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we are so relieved that we do not have to live up to some false image, but we are free to have an authentic relationship with you. Lord, help us to trust you and not focus on all the reasons why we should not be used to serve you, rather help us to accept the gift of righteousness – of worthiness, graciously given to us through the sacrifice of your Son. And Holy Spirit, help us to focus our attention on that which is eternal and not let our days waste away by the busyness of temporal things. We praise you and love you! In Jesus name. Amen.

ADDITIONAL STUDY Do you find yourself caught up in a life based on your performance and not the grace of God? If so you are not alone. Many Christians, have found themselves at times confined to the belief that God could only be pleased by “picture-perfect” performance. It is easy to forget that we live in a time of Grace given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. His sacrifice has given us complete and direct access to the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. We are told in Hebrews 4:16 to, “...approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time on need.” The question we must ask ourselves is this, “Are we taking full advantage of this privilege?,” or do we find ourselves believing that we can live the Christian life on our own apart from the empowering grace of God. Jesus tells us in John 15:5 that, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (NIV, emphasis added) He is essentially saying that the Christian life is a grace-life based not on what we are capable of doing, but on what he is capable of doing...and He can surely do a whole lot more than the whole lot of us put together. Make opportunity this week to pray and ask if there is any area of your relationship or service to Him based on performance that you need to be unleashed from. Be assured that when you ask, God will gladly show you, because as your Father in Heaven He wants to have a vibrant, living, and personal intimacy with you. IN-DEPTH “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NIV) In describing how the relationship between God and man was to flourish, Jesus used the analogy of a grapevine; He is the vine and we are the branches. It is the vine that supports and nourishes the branches as long as the branches remain connected to the vine. Through this connection, life-giving sap flows from the vine into the branches then to the leaves and is finally visible through fruit. Jesus is telling us that our life, as a child of God, is completely dependent on Him and Him alone. The branch does not support or feed the vine. The whole idea is that branches connected to the vine will produce the fruit that was created in us as a result of abiding in Jesus. Abiding is essential for this Shoreline Christian Center | 17

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wonderful miracle of Christ producing fruit in us. No amount of our own strength, effort, or will power can produce fruit that will remain. What a miracle that as we live our lives through Christ’s life, fruit for His Father’s glory is produced in us; and this fruit will always remain.

CONSIDER THIS . . .


Session 3

Jesus Will Remain: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:4 The Lord Jesus who declared, “I am the truth,” is incapable of even the slightest hint of deception. When He said that He would remain, we can absolutely rest in this promise of unending fellowship. Jesus does not move away from fellowship, He is the vine, and vines stay where they have been planted, it is branches that break off from the vine and are scattered about by many things. If you are feeling distant from joyous fellowship, just call on His name and remember…The Vine did not move.

________________________ deeper. “. . . The Lord does not look at things like men look at things. Man on the outside, but God looks on the ________________________.” I Samuel 16:7(emphasis added)

I Have Obeyed: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” John 15:10 Jesus’ commands are not burdensome, but beneficial. His command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends.” (v 12) The only way to succeed in the Christian life is through love—love that is from the heart of God. Continue In Him: “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” I John 2:28 To continue in Him is to abide and remain in Him. Abiding in Christ creates a hunger to focus our attention on Him and to be with Him above all else. When we let the life of Christ lead and guide us we become more like Him, and faith flourishes, and as our faith grows our confidence in all the promises of God prepares us to stand unashamed at His glorious appearing.

We shouldn’t be so ________________________ to judge. The kingdom of God is about ________________________ and peace and joy; and not about ________________________ conformity and ________________________ appearance. One size doesn’t ______________________ ________________________. Look for ________________________ in ________________________ . God created the whole ________________________! We tend to separate the ________________________ from the ________________________. Look for the ________________________ that God put in our Jesus had an amazing amount of trust that his followers would be able to interact with God after He left. The ________________________ ________________________ is leading and guiding us today.



Unleashed

WEEK 3 One Size Fits All LOOK DEEPER

Religion puts us in a box where we think we have to look a certain way, talk a certain way, or worship a certain way. God never intended for us to be carbon copies of each other once we are saved. God created us in all different shapes, sizes and colors. God loves the beauty that variety brings to the world, not only in nature, but in people as well. Isn’t it exciting that we all have the freedom to be who God created us to be! How liberating it is to know that God loves and values our uniqueness! When it comes to Christianity, one size definitely does not fit all. God does not want us to box ourselves in to an image of religion. He does want us to passionately serve him with a pure and willing heart.

Read 1 Samuel 16:7

If God looks at the heart, then we should not be so quick to judge people by their outward appearances. Our culture teaches that first impressions are the most important and that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Do you agree or disagree that first impressions are important? Please explain. When we judge people by their outward appearances and make a quick assumption of them, we miss out on a reflection of the character of Christ in them.

Read Matthew 3:4-6

People come in all shapes, sizes and personal styles and can be amazing ambassadors for God. In you own words explain what a God chosen leader should look like. What does it mean that God looks at the Heart?

Unleashed The Great Commandment given to us in Matthew 22:37-38, tells us that we are to love God with all our being, completely and totally. What an awesome love affair God desires to have with us! How does your lifestyle and daily activities reveal your love for God? In 1 Samuel 13:13-14 the Bible tells us that David was a man after God’s own heart. What does it mean to have a heart after God? God had complete trust in David that he would willingly do whatever God asked of him. In Psalms 51:10 David prays, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” What is David asking the Lord to do? What does he mean by a pure heart? When God reveals something to be dealt with in us, it is His desire to remove it from us. What used to be guilt has now been changed to joy!

LOOK FOR GOD IN EVERYTHING

As mentioned in the DVD, we can see God’s fingerprint in many things—creation; music; works of art; a child’s smile; a loving embrace—the list is as long as life. Culturally, people try to limit God to the church, the actual building, but we know that God is always with us and not confined to any one place. In Psalm 91, David tells us that the heavens declare the Glory of God. When we look at the earth and skies, it is amazing the beauty and the details that God laid out for our pleasure and enjoyment. We see His glory and love in beautiful sunsets, colorful flowers, and the magnificent trees, just to name a few. Where else, outside of the Church’s walls, do you see the glory of God displayed? The world’s perception of what is acceptable does not reflect the heart of God. God loves our uniqueness, and he doesn’t want us to get caught in the trap of lifeless religion. We may be able to fool others with our outward appearance, but we can never fool God, for God looks at the heart.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for choosing us and blessing us with a relationship with you. Father, we know we do not have to be perfect for you to use us, but help us to always have a willing heart to serve you. Create in us a pure heart and help us to work on those areas in our character that do not reflect your character. Father, help us to not be so quick to judge but help us to get past mere appearances and love the person you created. We love you and need you. In Jesus name. Amen

Our heart represents the life of our body, our innermost being, the source of our feelings, emotions and thoughts. Matthew 12:34 says, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Read Psalms 19:14 and Proverbs 4:23

How do we guard our hearts? 20 | Shoreline Christian Center


Unleashed ADDITIONAL STUDY The world we live in pounds into us very early on that first impressions are lasting impressions, and there is no second chance for a first impression. So, with this handicap, we perceive our world with blurred and faulty perceptions—judging ourselves and others as they judge us. God tells us that we are not to judge another carelessly by mere appearances, because appearances are not usually as they appear (John 7:24) Unlike God, we cannot see the heart of an individual, or know all the circumstances that motivates a person, which is why we are to give grace, the same grace we have received. God is the God of second chances, and actually, the God of many, many, many second chances. And because he is the God of second chances, we have the power of God within us to be a powerfully positive influence on those God brings into our lives. Throughout the Bible there are plenty of examples of faulty perception, and pre-judgment of character. The respected prophet Samuel assumed, by the stature of the first son of Jesse, he was the chosen king of Israel until God told him it was the young shepherd boy David; it is not about the physical outward appearance that matters, with God, it is the inward. This week ask God to open your eyes, to help you see others as he sees them, as objects of his love and affection. Also ask him to help you unleash more of his grace to others and free you from the blindness of first impressions. IN-DEPTH Love abounding more and more . . . Love is to be given first to God, and then too our neighbor. In Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1:9-10 he is praying that our love would literally be ever-increasing in higher degrees towards God and one another. We too need to be praying this prayer for ourselves and others. How comforting to know that our friends and others are petitioning God so that love will abound (flourish) in us. We also see in this prayer of Paul, that we have not attained perfection in love, knowledge, and insight; and that there is always room for improvement. Our love for God and others is not be based on blind human emotions, but we are to have an increasing depth of knowledge, a knowledge according to the word used here, that is precise and correct. And along with this—discernment, a discernment that is not just our perception, based only on our senses, but of the intellect based upon our increasing knowledge. As believers we are to be a knowing and discerning people. As we grow in this way, we are able to discern, or judge correctly those things which are best and beneficial to the building up of the Body of Christ.

Unleashed lives, which means we should learn to pray these prayers with fervent hearts. Pray them for yourself, your family and friends, the spiritual leaders over you, anyone and everyone. Be devoted to prayer. See Colossians 4:2. Be Enlightened: “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:18 God, out of his incomparably great love for us wants us to truly know, with deep understanding the hope we have in Him. He wants to enlighten us, and the word, enlighten, here means to “cause something to exist, and in its existence become full of light and clarity.” How awesome that God wants you and others to grasp the wonders of all that he has for us as joint heirs with his son Jesus. Take time to read the rest of Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:17-22 Power through His Spirit: “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being…” Ephesians 3:16 We are dependent upon God to live this Christian life. It is out of God’s glorious and unlimited riches that we are to receive power, his power in our inner-most selves. His riches are limitless grace, eternal mercy, perfect faithfulness, loving kindness, and selfless love. Having all this freely given to us we are empowered by God’s strength to know and be known of him; and do those things he has called each on of us to be doing. On to Completion: “…I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Colossians 1:5-6 How comforting to know that God, who through his Spirit, is the one who began this great work in our lives—transforming us into the likeness of his dear Son. It is God who takes it upon himself to see the task through to its perfect conclusion—to the image of Christ, so that we can stand unashamed before Him.

CONSIDER THIS . . . Keep Asking: “I keep asking that the God our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Ephesians 1:17 We can pray for ourselves and others that the Holy Spirit will give us revelation, literally an unveiling, or laying bear, the things of God. The great thing too, is that we can keep asking and asking and the Spirit will keep giving and giving. All the prayers of Paul are prayers that are also God’s will for our 22 | Shoreline Christian Center


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WEEK 4

Session 4

Ive Found Religion

If you boil religion down you come up with two ________________________ thoughts that sums up what religion is: _________________ and ________________________. You don’t ________________________ the inheritance it comes as a ________________ from My heart to you. How many people coming back to ________________________ run into the elder brother before he ran nto his dad. Our ________________________ with God is not about religious performance. Religion is about rules that burden you down.

RULES

God wants us alive. He wants us to live a life Unleashed, free from dead religion and boxed in thinking. If you boil down religion, you come up with two things: rules and performance. This is so far from the amazing truth of how God wants to relate to us. Unfortunately, it is very common for Christians to fall into the trap of dead religion. We get trapped into thinking we have to approach God a certain way, or do our quiet time a certain way or for a certain amount of time for God to bless our day and for us to feel like He is pleased with us. Religion places the focus on us and not on God. We fall into the trap of dead religion when we begin to think it is our acts or approaches to the Father that brings us closer to Him. Last week, we learned that it is the condition of our hearts that draw us to Him. Would anyone like to share some areas in your life that you have fallen into the trap of religious thinking, focusing too much on rituals and rules? God desires for us to have an intimate relationship with Him. The word, intimacy, is derived from the Latin word, intimus, which means innermost. God desires to have a relationship with us in our very innermost parts of our being. He accepts us unconditionally and loves our uniqueness.

Read Romans 8:32 and Ephesians 3:20

What does intimacy with God look like? God wants us to understand scandalous, inclusive love; this unconditional, uncompromising, ________________________love relationship that God has with us. “We were created out of the ________________________ of the trinity.”

Read Matthew 11:19

In the New Testament we find that Jesus befriended the sinners, the tax–collectors, the sick, and the unlovely. The Pharisees and Sadducees were all about outward appearance, but God saw there hearts, their innermost beings. Why would Jesus have befriended you if you lived back then?

Christianity summed up in one word: love

Read 1 John 4:7-12

God calls us to love one another. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39 24 | Shoreline Christian Center

How easy is it to love the “unlovely”?

Read Luke 15:11-24. Shoreline Christian Center | 25

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Unleashed ADDITIONAL STUDY

PERFORMANCE The story of the prodigal son tells us of God’s amazing love for us. No matter how far we may stray, He will be there waiting with open arms to love us and welcome us home. Has anyone here felt like they were the prodigal son at some point in their life? What did it feel like to be welcomed back home into God’s loving embrace?

Read Luke 15:25-32

Here we read the story of the prodigal son’s older brother. He is diligent and faithful. Yet when his long lost brother returns home, he is angry and jealous at his father’s reaction. We need to be careful not to fall into the trap of the elder son in this parable. God does not want us to get trapped into thinking we are better than others because of our obedience or actions. God desires to lavish His loving mercy and kindness on all Christians, not just those who dot all their i’s and cross all their t’s. What do you think would have happened if the prodigal son had run into his elder brother before his father? Think of one person that you’ve struggled with forgiving. Maybe this person has asked you to forgive them, but because of the great hurt you endured, you want them to pay for their offence. What can we learn about restoration from this story? 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love. One of the most often memorized and quoted scriptures, John 3:16, tells us that God loved us so much that He sent His son to die for our sins.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your passionate desire to be in relationship with us! Unleash us from religious thinking, focusing on self-created rituals and rules. We are thankful that we can run to you and you will always welcome us with open arms. Holy Spirit, help us to reflect that love and grace to those around us. And, reveal to us any relationship that needs your restoration, and give us the courage to humble ourselves to forgive and pray for full restoration. We love you! In Jesus name. Amen.

Many people have had reservations about serving God because of what we have seen or done, and the many do’s and don’ts demanded of us to please him. Religion’s cruelest lie is the idea of God. God is sometimes presented as a heavy-handed taskmaster who sets impossible standards and punishes anyone who fails to meet His requirements, making Him short on love, mercy and grace. God wants you to know that he is on your side—he is in your corner. He asks us to simply accept what he has done, and love him for who He is. God who spared nothing, not even his own Son, but freely gave him up for us is asking that we love Him with all our heart. If you are feeling hurt, empty, or distant from the Love of God, then make time this week to let the Lover of your soul pour into you all his best, just for the asking. He will gladly wipe the tears away, fill the emptiness, and restore your joy. IN-DEPTH Christianity was never meant to be “religious”. Jesus even warned his followers to avoid becoming like the religious leaders of that day. The Pharisee believed that the longer the prayer, or the stricter the observance to the smallest detail, or avoiding anything that might pollute were all actions that would merit God’s blessing on their great faithfulness. James teaches, contrary to the religious beliefs of his day, that if you want a religion that God accepts as pure, it is visiting the fatherless and widows and keeping oneself unspotted by the world. CONSIDER THIS . . . Rooted and Built: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6, 7 In the same way we have accepted Christ as our Savior, we are to accept a life that is continually supported and nourished by him. Just as a healthy tree is supported by deep roots, and a stable building is firmly attached to a strong foundation, our lives must be rooted in Christ’s life, and built upon his teachings. Found in Christ: “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Colossians 2:16, 17 The Israelites, under the Law and its regulations were commanded to do all it required. They could eat and drink only those things listed as acceptable, attend all religious ceremonies, be careful to observe the Sabbaths, and follow hundreds of other burdensome codes, both religious and civil. God wants us to recognize that it is not about what we do or don’t do, it is about Christ. He is the reality, He is salvation. We don’t need religion, we have Jesus! Basic Principles: “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though



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Unleashed

you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules…” Colossians 2:20


Jesus said that we were in the world, but not of it; we are new creations whose true citizenship is in heaven. The world wants us to work with human effort and wisdom to attain spiritual freedom; however, this is impossible. The dead principles and rules of this world lack the true power to set people free and can never offer the life giving power of Jesus Christ.

Session 5

God is calling us to do ________________________ things, but not to be ________________________ to do good things. Driven people may achieve success but never ________________________. I care more about _______________ than what you can _____________ for me. Performance impresses people, but not ________________________.

Three thoughts to help you reclaim your heart: Choose the ________________________ part. Most of us live ________________________of the nature of the kind of relationship God wants to have with us. Ask ________________________questions. Keep our innocence and ________________________. Many of us loose our sense of innocence and trust through the journey of life. The only motive for doing good is a ________________________to what God has already done in our lives; as a response to God’s ____________________.



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WEEK 5 Ust Do It CHOOSE THE BETTER PART

When we are consumed with our own ability to perform and achieve, we place too much emphasis on ourselves and our abilities. We fall into the trap of believing that “we” can do anything because we are such great leaders, so smart, so well educated. We lose sight of the fact that God wants us to be dependent on Him and to recognize our need for Him. Trying to achieve success on our own, apart from God, will always leave us empty and desiring more, but God will not force what is best for us upon us. We are by God’s design free-will agents and the decision is ultimately ours. He will allow us to walk in circles or climb the wrong ladders until we get to the place where we recognize our need for Him and His guidance, or until we recognize that our goals do not bring us the satisfaction we were hoping for. We have all experienced a time in our lives when we have tried to pave our own way. Would someone like to share the results from a recent experience? Do you think people have always struggled with being driven and success oriented, or do you think that this is something new that our culture or country faces? Please explain

Read Ecclesiastes 2:11

God is leading us to do great works, but He does not want the works to drive us. We will only find true satisfaction when we are being led by Him. Notice that David says, “The Lord is my Shepherd”. For God to be our shepherd we need to be His sheep. Sheep are completely dependent on the protection, guidance and wisdom of their shepherd. Even King David understood this. Although he was a king and leader of God’s people, he recognized that he needed a wise, loving, and gentle shepherd to lead him. The second part of verse 1 says, “I shall not want” . When the Lord is our protector and provider, we will not lack anything. He will provide all of our needs and bring us deep fulfillment. In verse 5, David says,” You prepare a table before me…. My cup overflows” So not only are we like sheep to God, we are also like honored guests. God is our provider; he desires to fill our cup to overflowing.

Unleashed How much have you trusted in Jesus as your Shepherd? Are you willing to leave your finances, your health, your employment, your life’s purpose in His care?

Read Proverbs 23:7

Some think that success will bring satisfaction so they strive for success only to find they want more. We read in Luke 10:38-42 about how Jesus responded to Martha, who was striving to have all the preparations for the meal perfect instead of enjoying the presence of our Lord Jesus. Is it possible to be self-driven and, at the same time, be led by God? Please explain.

ASK HEART QUESTIONS

God’s acceptance of us is not based on our achievements. There is nothing we can do to earn acceptance from God. God is much more interested in relationship than performance. Performance may impress people, but it does not impress God. God loves us unconditionally. His love for us is not based on what we can do, but what He’s already done. Proverbs 27:19 says, “As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.” There are several heart questions we can ask ourselves to keep us on the right path and make sure we are acting out of the right motivations.

Why do I do what I do? Do I care who gets the credit? Am I holding on too tightly? Is this where I gain my sense of self worth? Is what I am doing helping or hurting the Family of God?

God desires to have a relationship with us and to know us intimately. He will not force Himself, or His ways on us. He loves us so much and so strongly desires for us to freely love Him back. Whatsoever we do we do unto the Lord, we can do nothing without Him. We have to trust Him with our lives. We cannot do this alone; we depend on Him, not our talents and abilities.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your deep unconditional love for us. We are so grateful that we do not have to try to impress you or earn your love and attention. Father, help us to not be driven by our own selfish desires rather help us to yield to your guidance and follow you, wholeheartedly. Holy Spirit, reveal to us any area in our lives where we may not have the right motivation, and give us the courage to make the right changes. We recognize our total dependence on you, Lord. We love you! In Jesus name. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20 says that he will bless us above and beyond what we can even ask or imagine. We see in Psalms 23 a wonderful foreshadowing of “The Good Shepherd”, Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us, His sheep, and even now watches over us. 30 | Shoreline Christian Center


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ADDITIONAL STUDY

CONSIDER THIS . . .

Success is a great thing. Just as we desire to be successful, God wants us to flourish in everything we do. The Apostle John wanted early Christians to have success: “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” 3 John 2 (KJV, emphasis added) The Greek word ‘prosper’ use here means successful. Many of the wonderful things we enjoy today are the results of someone’s success in a particular endeavor. This study guide you now hold is the result of many successes that date back as far as the first printing press, to the first computer, to the first desktop publishing program with spell-check, to name a few. Success can be its own reward, but it can lead to losses as well. If we define ourselves by our accomplishments we loose sight of the pure meaning of success. The most important thing God wants each of us to succeed in is our relationship with Him; and because of Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing already. (See Ephesians 1:3) This means we can rest from striving to find acceptance with God through what we do. As we allow him to love us and bring us success in every area of our lives we find true peace and happiness—and best of all—God is glorified. It’s a win-win situation.

Eat or Drink: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about our life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” Matthew 6:25

Take time this week to thank God for the successes he has worked in your life. The ones like: loving someone who was not very loving; a relationship you helped restore; people who know Christ because of your life; a promotion; a completed project; or a habit you are slowly but surely conquering. The lists are endless. God wants you to be a success in life. IN-DEPTH “…a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” Luke 10:38, 39 Two disciples—Two choices—One moment. Martha, so typical of most of us, wanted to do her very best, especially in service to her Lord. As the older sister, the house was hers, and was determined to succeed in making his visit perfect. Unfortunately, Martha was missing the importance of this particular moment; distracted by all the details of preparation she complains to Jesus that she has been abandoned by her sister Mary to do everything alone. The word for distracted used here in the Greek is perispao (per-ee-spah`o) and as a metaphor means: to be driven about mentally. Martha was frantic—she did not want to miss what the Lord was saying, but she did not want him to miss out on something from her hands either. The Lord in responding to her accusation of not caring (v. 40) speaks to her, “Martha, Martha” emphatically repeating the name, “you are worried and upset about many things.” The one word expressing her inward anxiety, that all her preparations would not be worthy of him, and the other expressing the outward hustle and bustle of those preparations. Jesus lets Martha know that Mary had chosen the better service at this moment—sitting and receiving refreshment from her Lord. Martha was letting her good service drive over the best—sitting and receiving. All those other things would still be there after the Lord’s words had nourished hungry hearts, and then those two precious disciples together, could prepare nourishment for their Lord. Both Martha and Mary are representative of Christian character—one contemplative and the other active. A Church filled with just one or the other would be disastrous, both are characteristics needed within—they are the complement to each other. 32 | Shoreline Christian Center

Jesus would like us to entrust our treasures and hearts to Him. He promises to provide all things to us that pertain to life and godliness. He wants us to understand that in serving God and seeking him all the resources of heaven are readily available. The Birds: “look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable then they?” Matthew 6:26 Jesus uses the example of birds because birds aren’t really known for gathering quantities of goods for a rainy day. They go out each day to find the food they need for themselves, and offspring if need-be; or fly around and maybe whistle a little tune. Still our Father in heaven feeds them. How much more his children, who have called upon his name. Single Hour: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:27 Modern medicine has shown that worrying only subtracts hours from our lives. Jesus our Great Physician knows this better then anyone, for he created us to be filled with joy and gladness, not stress and worry. Many times we feel that if we worry about something, then God will know that we are genuinely concerned, and that he should do something. God wants us to know he has already made perfect provision for every situation. Lilies of the Field: “And why do you worry about your clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” Matthew 6:28, 29 We can be so obsessed by our appearances. We have believed the myth that it is clothes that “Make the Man!” and that if we look good on the outside we will be better on the inside—another myth. Each of us wants to be accepted and hope that if we look good enough we will be. God wants us know that he accepts us and that it has absolutely nothing to do with our clothing style or size, physical attributes, or IQ.


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WEEK 6

Session 6

Who Do You Think You Are

Spiritual drift is life’s ________________________ that bring you down.

THIS IS HIS STORY

God has a perfect plan for each of us. Before He even made us, He predestined us to live with the right gifts, at the right time, so we can play our part in His Story. How many of us feel tempted to write, produce, direct, and choose the part we want to play because of who we think we are?

We have to make ________________________-________________________on a daily basis, to counteract spiritual drift.

Read Romans 8:30 and Ephesians 1:11

Make sure you are ________________________of who _________________ is.

How does it make you feel to know that you are part of God’s plan and purpose?

This is ________________story. You are the __________________of God.

We can be a ________________________ role in his story or we can take the

Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit, who comes to live in us and counsel us when we become saved. This great counselor helps keep us from getting off course.

________________________ in our own plot.

Share a time in your life when you were spiritually drifting?

There is tremendous relief in knowing that God’s love to me is utterly realistic based on prior knowledge of the ________________________about me so that nothing new that he can discover can disillusion Him about me in the way that I am so disillusioned about ________________________.

Packer

Know ________________________you are. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved . . .” Colossians 3:12 Holy means ________________________, without blemish, and ________________________. Therefore if anyone is in Christ He is a new creation the old is gone and everything has become brand new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (emphasis added)

What helped you to realize you were drifting off course and not pursuing God’s plan for you? The Bible tells us over and over again of God’s patient grace and His willingness to welcome each of us home into His loving and forgiving arms.

Read Genesis 3:9-13 and Genesis 3:21

When Adam and Eve sinned, God came to them asking questions, not accusing them. And in verse 21, we read about God covering their shame.

Read Hebrews 13:5-6

How wonderful it is that no matter what we do as Christians, God will never leave us or forsake us! When we are saved we are made new in Christ. We become completely new creations.

Read Ephesians 2:10

When you read that God prepared your works for you in advance, your role in His Story, how does that make you feel?


Read John 14:26

Read Psalms 139:14-16; Jeremiah 29:11; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 3:12; and Shoreline Christian Center | 35

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Unleashed ADDITIONAL STUDY

1 Peter 2:9

What do these verses tell us about our identity in Christ?

Read Philippians 3:16

What does Paul mean by, “What we have already attained?” We all have an important role to play in His story. Our roles are made to work together to build each other up and bring glory to the body of Christ.

Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

What does this scripture tell us about how our roles interact to build up the body? Realizing that we have a vital role to play in God’s story is very important. To fulfill our part, we need to be spiritually in shape. We learned last week in Proverbs 23:7 that a man’s thoughts determine his actions and character. To be spiritually in shape we must have a pure heart and a renewed mind.

Read Romans 12: 1, 2

We read in Romans 1, that we are to offer our bodies to God as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Isn’t it awesome to picture the setting aside of ourselves as a spiritual act of worship! How do you define worship? What does Paul mean when he says we should offer our bodies as a living sacrifice? As God’s precious children, we need to resist being conformed to the patterns of this world. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This is done by replacing our old thought patterns and habits with the Truths found in Gods word. When we allow these truths to permeate and cleanse our hearts, we can better test and approve God’s will and live a life Unleashed for Him. God designed us all with a special purpose and destiny. He determined that we should live in such a time as this, to fulfill our role in His story. We are all unique and our identity in Christ gives each of us amazing significance. So now we need to step out on faith, renew our minds, and live a life Unleashed for God’s glory!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we are so thankful for your sovereignty; that your plan is perfect and you have a perfect plan for each one of your children. Thank you for blessing us with your Holy Spirit to live in us and help us to not drift away from you. We are amazed by your awesome grace given to us so freely, making us new creations standing before you as holy, unblemished. Lord, help us to always be in awe of you and have a passionate hunger to grow in our relationship with you. We thank you for your goodness. We love you! In Jesus name…Amen. 36 | Shoreline Christian Center

We all want the good life—a life scripted by us, for us, and about us. Unfortunately, so does everybody else and they may want to want to script your life to their advantage. Writing, directing, and producing the script of our lives will only lead to frustration and disappointment because we truly do not know what’s best for us. Our line of sight is limited to the here and now. So what do we do with the script of our life? It’s simple. We give it to the only one who has the right to write it...namely God. In fact, he has already written our script. We can trust his penmanship— the heart is his tablet or pad, the cross his pen and the blood represents the ink that never fades. The truly exciting thing about the story of your life is that it was written by God even before the world began. And He was careful to put his signature on each one of our stories. Your story is finely scripted, and because of the great love God has for you, he has carefully edited out the pages of your past that may bring shame, leaving only the best chapters. And the very last sentence of your story reads like this: “And they lived happily ever after!”...wait there is no ending; your story goes on forever . . . Throughout these last six weeks God has been calling all of us to live unleashed and trust him with all the details of our lives. We are told to cast all our cares on Him because he: cares for us; upholds us; blesses us; delivers us; encourages us; intercedes for us; cries with us; laughs with us; sings to us; comforts us; protects us; loves us; enjoys us; leads us; identifies with us; challenges us; corrects us; cradles us; walks with us; defends us; lifts us; frees us; and greatest of all he died and rose again for us. IN-DEPTH We are the object of God’s handiwork, of his making—we are new spiritual creations. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we are told that anyone who is in Christ is a new creation, all the old is gone and now everything is new. And as new creations we are qualified, and enabled to do the good works he has already prepared for us. These are not the works of the law, because Paul never called those good. And these works are not for our salvation, for no works could ever cleanse from sin, no—these ‘good’ works are the purposes of God that each of us are to do according to the timing of his plan. Jesus said, “You did no choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…” John 15:16. The works we have been created in Christ to do are works that bear lasting fruit for the Father’s glory. CONSIDER THIS . . . Imagine: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20 Imagine! This is what God wants us to do. He likes to do the impossible because it proves he is God. His power is constantly working within our lives, and saying to us: believe big, and if you can imagine quite a bit—then do it. And do not worry about any power shortages with God, because when he tells us what he can do is beyond measure—it is way, way beyond measure!


Unleashed God Works: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 We often do not understand why things happen the way they do. Many times we blame God for not preventing circumstances and situations which cause us grief and pain. But the promise we have from God is that he is the one making everything work for our good—so we may not know what God is doing, but we do know that it is something good. Always Give: “Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” I Corinthians 15:58 How wonderful that God has called all of us to help in the furthering of His kingdom. And whatever we find to do we should do it with all our hearts as unto Him. It does not matter if we are new in Christ or have been around for a while, each of us have a labor of love to do. Must Finish: “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4 The testing and trying of our lives develops an attitude of perseverance, and makes us stronger. When going through trials we can be assured that God works them for our good to bring us to Christian maturity and completeness. We can have confidence that God will finish the work he has started in our lives. God is Able: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” II Corinthians 9:8 This is a promise we all need to memorize. Four times the word all is used in this passage to firmly establish this truth—God will cause us to succeed in every good work. We can live completely UNLEASHED in this life because God gives us all grace in all things at all times.


Unleashed
