Download the study guide and other resources for free at https://lumivoz.com/gods-design-series/

Session 1: Designed for Relationships 

“Community requires commitment. Only the Holy Spirit can create real fellowship between believers, but he cultivates it with the choices and commitments we make. Paul points out this dual responsibility when he says, ‘You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way’ (Ephesians 4:3 NCV). It takes both God’s power and our effort to produce a loving Christian community.” 

The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren p. 146 

This study explores five insights we can learn from David’s life on God’s Design for Your Lives. 

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. . . . And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. 1 Samuel 18:1, 3, 4 (NIV) 

In building deep relationships, we must leave our weapons, protection strategies, our masks, and quit faking “everything is okay.” 

We practice , , and to build deep relationships. 

The second step is letting people our lives. 

[David] learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David . . . and helped him find strength in God. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.”
1 Samuel 23:15–18 (NIV) 

When giving counsel to a friend, we need to help them
 and for their lives. 

SMALL GROUP GUIDELINES 

Discuss the Small Group Guidelines (available in the Small Group Resources download) after watching the video session. Add anything that you feel needs to be added for your group. 

GROUP TIME 

Ice Breaker 

Have each person share for one minute about who was his or her childhood best friend and what made them friends. 

Building Relationships 

Now it’s time to share a bit more about your life story. 
Share your life story in 5 minutes with your group. Focus on your whole life picture, not just a testimony. Talk about growing up, going to school, careers, meeting a significant other, your family, your hobbies, how you got 

connected to your church, and when you gave your life to Jesus. If your group is larger than eight people you should break into two or more groups of four to six people to make sure everybody has time to share. 

If your group has been meeting for a while, share something your group doesn’t know about you. It could be an embarrassing moment, a weird job, or memorable trip, or a dream that you have for your life. 

SUBGROUPING 

Each week we’re going to break into smaller, three to five person groups for some deeper sharing. Try to divide along gender lines if you’re a mixed gender group. This is a great way to make sure every person has time to share and provides an opportunity for more openness. 

In your subgroup share one or two areas that God is working on in your life. Have the person most comfortable with sharing go first. 

Don’t try to offer a quick fix or snap judgment as people share. Let people be real about what’s going on in their lives. If there’s something that needs prayer, don’t wait until the end of the meeting, pray right then and there for them. 

Prayer Requests 

In your subgroup, share any prayer requests you have. Don’t worry whether the requests are big or little. God cares about all areas of our lives. Nothing is too big for him, and nothing is too small for him. Write your requests in a notebook or on the back of this sheet to keep track of what God does in the lives of your group members. Then go around your circle of people and pray for the person to your right. If you’ve never prayed out loud in front of people just use a simple one-sentence prayer like the one below. 

“Father, Please provide a great job for Megan so her family doesn’t lose their home. Amen.” 

WRAPPING UP 

Having people you can count on is the first step towards living God’s design for your life. Life certainly is not always easy, but just like David had Jonathan to encourage him when life was tough, we need people who will walk with us. 

One of the best practices your small group can use is subgrouping. Breaking into smaller groups helps us share deeper and builds stronger community. Remember to subgroup for prayer and discussion, especially as your group grows. 

The Group Guidelines are your safety net. When someone joins, make sure to review the guidelines as a group so the new members know what the group is about. 

Look in the Small Group Resources packet for the Small Group Calendar. Divide responsibilities for the next four weeks of this study. Have group members bring snacks or a meal, host the group meeting at their home, reserve space for the group at your workplace, coffee shop or restaurant or facilitate the group time. The more people involved, the more the group becomes everyone’s group, not just the host’s. 

Next Week 

Next week we’ll discuss two ways David grew in his relationship with God. *Be sure to print copies of the Spiritual Health Assessment for next week! 

Session 2:

Designed to Grow Spiritually

 

“Spiritual maturity is becoming like Jesus in the way we think, feel, and act. The more you develop Christlike character, the more you will bring glory to God. The Bible says, ‘As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.’”

The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren p. 59

 

Listen To Session 2

 

David was, “a man after                                                           .” 

 

David’s passion for                                                                   and continual                                     

                                                 marked him as “a man after God’s Heart.”

 

The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word. . . . Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight…I will meditate on your precepts. Let those who fear you turn to me, that they may know your testimonies. Psalm 119:72–79 (ESV)

 

The goal of reading the Bible is to                                                                                           in each passage. 

 

God’s Word has promises for your life, stories of people who faced challenges and opportunities like you, instructions for building your life and revelations that show what God is really like.

 

I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me. Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they Session 2: Growing Spiritually 17 are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Psalm 142:1–7a (NIV)

 

Our prayers need to be                                                                        with God, not a religious exercise. 

 

Then our prayers should transition to                                                                                                , 

                                                             , and                                                                           . 

 

God is

Good, Love, Our Refuge, Our Savior, Our Healer, Our Good Father, Our Comforter, Our Guide, Our Strong Tower, Our Protector, Creator, King

 

                                                                                     connect, encourage one another, and keep 

each other accountable to God’s purpose for their lives like Jonathan helped David. 

 

 

Like stained glass, our different personalities reflect God’s light in many colors and patterns. This blesses the family of God with depth and variety. It also blesses us personally. It feels good to do what God made you to do. 

The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren p. 243–244 

Designed to Serve Others 

Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” 

David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 

They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 

When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 1 Samuel 17:25–27 (NIV) 

God has given each of us a ________________________ according to his design for our life. 

It’s important to realize that our personality is God-given and that he wants us to live the way he created us. 

“Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 

But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth.

When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.
1 Samuel 17:32–37 (NIV) 

Our ________________ prepare us for the impossibilities that we will face. 

Your ________ equips you to __________________ to others going through similar experiences. 

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 

Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” 

And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” 

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
1 Samuel 17: 37c, 40–50 (NIV) 

Relying on ______________ is the best way to get killed when facing our giants. We must depend on ________ . 

Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure. God says, if any want to boast that they know and understand me. . . . 
These are the things that please me. 

The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren p. 89 

Designed to Connect with God 

David’s connection with God enabled him to live out God’s design for his life. 

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4 (NIV) 

When we ___________________________ we connect with God. 

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1 (NIV) 

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
Psalm 145:8, 9, 13b–20 (NIV) 

As you read God’s Word, look for scriptures that ___________ ______________________ . 

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) 

Remembering ________________________ in our lives helps us connect with God. _________________ is an act of remembering what Jesus did for us on the cross. 

“Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:23b–25 (NIV) 

If we are to take the Lord’s Supper, we must be ____________ ________________________ . 

We must ____________________________ before we take communion. 

Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure. God says, if any want to boast that they know and understand me. . . . 
These are the things that please me. 

The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren p. 89 

Designed to Connect with God 

David’s connection with God enabled him to live out God’s design for his life. 

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4 (NIV) 

When we ___________________________ we connect with God. 

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1 (NIV) 

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
Psalm 145:8, 9, 13b–20 (NIV) 

As you read God’s Word, look for scriptures that ___________ ______________________ . 

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) 

Remembering ________________________ in our lives helps us connect with God. _________________ is an act of remembering what Jesus did for us on the cross. 

“Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:23b–25 (NIV) 

If we are to take the Lord’s Supper, we must be ____________ ________________________ . 

We must ____________________________ before we take communion. 

Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure. God says, if any want to boast that they know and understand me. . . . 
These are the things that please me. 

The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren p. 89 

Designed to Connect with God 

David’s connection with God enabled him to live out God’s design for his life. 

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4 (NIV) 

When we ___________________________ we connect with God. 

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1 (NIV) 

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
Psalm 145:8, 9, 13b–20 (NIV) 

As you read God’s Word, look for scriptures that ___________ ______________________ . 

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) 

Remembering ________________________ in our lives helps us connect with God. _________________ is an act of remembering what Jesus did for us on the cross. 

“Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:23b–25 (NIV) 

If we are to take the Lord’s Supper, we must be ____________ ________________________ . 

We must ____________________________ before we take communion. 

Jesus said, “ You will be my witnesses” . . . He wants you to share your story with others . . . There is no other story just like yours, so only you can share it. If you don’t share it, it will be lost forever.” 

The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren p. 288 

Designed to Share Your Story 

“[The Lord] reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
2 Samuel 22:17–20 NIV 

One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Psalm 145:4–5a, 6, 11–12 NIV 

Sharing the stories of what God has done helps strengthen our relationship with him, encourages others who know him and help people who don’t know Jesus come to know him. 

We need to share the ___________________________ ________________ in our lives. 

Sharing your story 

Start with life before you knew Jesus.
Then share how and why you asked Jesus to be your savior. 
End with telling the difference Jesus has made in your life, what means the most to you personally. 

There should always be room for _________________ ________________ . 

I can invite ________________________________ to the group. 

When someone joins your small group, _______________ ______________ of what God has done in your lives. 

The future of this group 

You’ve seen and experienced a taste of what God can do in your life through being in a small group. Having a group of people with whom you are doing life together is one of the most powerful keys to overcome life’s challenges. With this study almost over, spend some time discussing the future of your group. Experiencing the power of community like David and the people who shared their stories on the video takes time and commitment. The same will be true for your small group. 

Elect a Group Contact Person who will be in charge of connecting with your church to get support, resources, and prayer for your group. Specify that person on the Small Group Commitment with their contact information. 

Before your group continues with this study, have one group member go to My.Saddleback.com on their mobile device. Select the “Small Group Commitment” banner. Review and complete the commitment as a group. Then continue with the rest of this session. 

Check out the Simple Faith podcast with Rusty George, the lead pastor at Crossroads Christian Church. Rusty and the Simple Faith podcast are doing a brand new limited experience in the month of June called, "Friend of God"

This is a sneak peek at the first of the 40 episode series, for the full series, look for "Simple Faith With Rusty George" on your favorite podcast app or by clicking here: http://www.pastorrustygeorge.com

This first episode: Ever thought about what it means to be "the one Jesus loves"? In today's devotional, we're kicking off our series with a deep dive into this incredible concept. John faced unimaginable trials, yet he defined himself by Jesus' love. Join me as we explore how viewing ourselves as loved by Jesus can reshape our identity and transform our daily lives.

About Rusty: Rusty George is the Lead Pastor at Crossroads Christian Church in Grand Prairie. Under his dedicated leadership, Crossroads Christian Church aspires to flourish as a vibrant community committed to guiding individuals in their journey to discover and follow the path of Jesus.

Beyond leading Crossroads Church, Rusty is a global speaker, leader and teacher focusing on making real life simple. Rusty has also written several books and can be heard weekly on his podcast, Leading Simple with Rusty George.

Aside from being a loyal Chiefs, Royals, and Lakers fan, Rusty is first and foremost committed to his family. Rusty has been married to his wife, Lorrie, for over twenty-five years, and they have two daughters, Lindsey and Sidney. As a family, they enjoy walking the dogs, playing board games together, and watching HGTV while Rusty watches ESPN on his iPad.

Introducing a new series: Making Time!

DIGITAL GROUP GUIDE

How are you at making time? Do you feel like you have enough time in the day? Do you know if you have enough time in the day? Is there a difference between how you feel about time and what you think about your time?

This is the first of a 6 part series on Making Time. Everyone has the same number of hours in the day so why do some people seem to get so much more done? Why do some other people seem so rushed and others seem so casual?

While this series can be listened to on your end, you’ll get more out of it if you listen to it together with someone else, your spouse, family, small group, book/podcast club or whatever. If you want to make it more fun and interactive with your group, download the GROUP Method discussion guide here: https://lumivoz.com/making-time/

And we are giving away 50 free GROUP Method  Notebooks. Each notebook has premium BLACK paper and comes with a white pen. To get a free notebook, you can do 1 of the following:

1. Leave a review on your podcast app of choice.
2. Share the podcast on social media.

Take a screenshot of either one and email it to makingtime@lumivoz.com

This podcast is just launching and still very small so if you enter, you are probably going to win! But here’s the catch, only 1 notebook and pen per email entry. If you want one for each member of your group, they each have to enter. Sorry, we can only afford to ship to the US and Canada at this time but will hopefully have some more international options soon, especially if y’all share this podcast and it gets popular enough ;)

Music in this episode comes from
Artlist.com and Musicbed.com
- Good Time by Ben Fox
- The Sin by Francesco D’Andrea
- Theater Maginus by Marco Martini
- String Arpeggios
- The Great Wild by Out of Flux
- The Sky Within by Romeo
- I Owe It To You
- Premiere by Adrian Berenguer
- Lily’s Bounce

Edited using Descript

And for more great podcasts check out https://lumivoz.com