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Devotion.al

Tag: relationship

  • Divine Encounters

    Psalm 63:1-8, Daniel 12:1-4, Revelation 2:1-7

    Often when we first come to know Jesus, our hearts are on fire. A colorful way of saying it is a “fire in the bones” or “fire in the belly”. In other words, we experience a change. For others, it is not a fire, but a germinating plant slowing breaking through the shell of the seed, then bursting forth from the ground. There are many ways to describe that change. There are probably as many as there are people. Those new in their relationship with Jesus will often seek more and more of Jesus. They will (like the psalmist) think of God as being more satisfying than rich food. They will think about God while just lying on their bed. In the middle of the night, they will think about God. Keeping that going, however, is always a task. Especially in times of trouble, trial, or just plain confusion.

    Daniel’s vision is not that literal, but it does convey truth. A new time of distress and discord will come. New nations will rise. God’s people, though, will still be on God’s heart. God will carry his people. However, even though they are “his” people, there will be a separation. What could be the separating point? Active relationship with God.

    As the Letter to Ephesus calls on the Ephesians to return to their “first love”, so, too, are we called. We are called to return to the ways of the psalmist, always thinking about God. Within the letter is yet another reminder that there will be a separation between those who have an active relationship with God, and those who don’t. Just like any relationship, a relationship with God does not just happen. We have to work to maintain it. It’s not that God “walks” away from us, but that we walk away from him.

    1) Do you recall your first encounter with Jesus? What was it like?

    2) Relationships change, as should ours with God. Our relationship with God should always be deepening. Give yourself a moment to reflect and be honest with yourself. Is your relationship with God deepening? If not, good news! Let’s start now! God is always waiting for you to have a deeper relationship with him. If you have a deepening relationship with God, what will you do to help others deepen their relationship with God?

    3) Daniel’s and John’s (Revelation) visions talk about a separation between those who have an active relationship with God, and those who don’t. Does that scare you, or does that motivate you? Why?

  • Yet We Live

    Psalm 22, Genesis 28:10–22, Luke 20:27-39

    Jacob’s vision encouraged and assured him that God was real, and God had something planned for him. What the vision didn’t do was say everything was going to be easy, and that he (and his family) would always be safe. Even when God says, “…I will bring you back…” certain assurances are missing, such as how long or when. While the vision has aspects of comfort, there really is a lot left completely open.

    While the promise is made to Jacob, by extension the promise is also to his descendants. God promises to Jacob that his offspring will have the land and that God would not leave until that occurred. In other words, while the promise was immediate, the fulfillment and God’s presence was far in the future.

    This now and future aspect is very important when we come to Jesus’ words. Jesus is strongly implying that the concept of past, present, and future aren’t quite as we think. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob were all buried. Scripture even tells of them specifically being buried. They were dead! Jesus turns that upside down and says that everybody (even those who have died) are living from God’s perspective. We measure our days. When we think of legacy, our legacy is what outlives us. According to Jesus, our legacy cannot outlive us!

    It seems to be contradictory. We know we die, yet God says we live. We know people in our lives who have died, yet for God, they live!

    1) We all leave a legacy. Will the legacy you leave give life, or is it something else?

    2) Throughout scripture, there is a tension of now and not yet. Why is that important in regards to legacy?

    3) There is a tendency in many Christian circles that a good relationship with God means that we will always be healthy, wealthy, long-lived, and safe. Scripture never delivers that message. Why, then, do you think that so many Christians hold on to this belief?

  • A Seeking Heart

    Psalm 105:1–15, 2 Chronicles 20:1–22, Luke 13:22–31

    We often feel powerless in comparison to the world around us. The current pervasive feeling is that normal people do not have a voice in the government that is supposed to be theirs. Many people feel powerless in the face of medical issues, general health issue, job issues, family issues, and so on. It is easy to become overwhelmed by what we cannot do. Embrace the powerlessness.

    Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Yet, the story of Jehoshaphat is a story of a people, and their king, who recognized their powerlessness in the face of enemies far beyond their ability to deal with. Jehoshaphat embraced his powerlessness. He acknowledged it. He put it before God. God doesn’t always do something miraculous like what happened here. The miraculous is God. The powerlessness is ours. What do we do with our powerlessness? Do we study harder? Work harder? Pray harder?

    The multitude of Judah (entire families) publically placed their weakness before God. True humility is often the greatest gift parents and grandparents can give to their children and grandchildren. It wasn’t that long ago that men and women were to hide their paid either behind plastic smiles or stoic faces. Pain, toil, grief, depression, mourning, were all to be hidden, for they were a weakness. The families of Judah had no shame in sharing this. God saved them.

    Theirs was collective salvation. When we come to Jesus, there is both collective and personal salvation at stake. In particular, the narrow road and gate are more personal than collective, but the separation between the two is not as clear as we like to think. Think about the opening question regarding the number of people to be saved. That’s the wrong question! In another place in scripture, there is a similar question regarding the requirements to be saved. Again, that’s the wrong question! Actually, that’s the wrong orientation.

    Jesus’ intent is heart orientation. If we are always trying to figure out the limits, we aren’t aiming for the heart. Think about marriage. If one marries another, saying what can I get away with and still be married, it doesn’t sound right, does it? Marriage isn’t about our joy, but what we do to make the other happy. A relationship with Jesus is very similar in that regard. While Jesus’ words sound harsh, “get away from me evildoers,” it is that heart orientation: a heart seeking to do evil (what can I get away with), versus a heart seeking to make Jesus happy.

    1) Have you ever thought, what can I get away with and still be saved?

    2) If you said, “no,” has your behavior matched, “no”, or has your behavior really matched, “yes”?

    3) How do powerlessness and the narrow road go together (they do)? What does that tell you about the Christian life/walk?

    FD) Why do you think Jesus talks about the door being narrow? Why narrow? Why a door?

  • A Mighty Legacy

    Psalm 105, Exodus 33:1–6

    Have you ever known people that no matter how much you might respect, like, or even love them, that spending a large amount of time with them would result in personal injury? It could be a parent, aunt, uncle, cousin, or sibling. In families, a lot of pain is stored and maintained, meaning that family gathers while good on many levels, can be stressful or even hurtful. If your family gatherings do not have this, give praise to God and all the family members who have made sure to pass on such a blessed and loving legacy. Truth be told, however, most families are not so blessed. Moses’ extended family was a trial for Moses, but not just Moses.

    God had relational limits. Think on that for a moment. There is a limit. The stubborn Israelites wouldn’t make it, for they kept testing God. And, perhaps, that is the point. When someone repeatedly rebels against God, there is a limit. Yet, there is something hidden in plain sight. God says that God will not go with them, for they would end up not making it. It was not that God did not love them, nor that they were no longer the people he called. They had put a limit on their relationship with God. God accepted that. It could be more for Moses’ information than anything else. Moses wanted God right there. His relationship with God was good. “Let’s go together!” God knew that the Israelites just wouldn’t be able to do it.

    One of the beauties of Scripture is its honesty. God’s chosen people really did not have the best relationship with God. There wasn’t a cover-up. Let’s see: they struggled mightily with God; they rebelled directly against God; they opposed his chosen leaders; they lifted up other gods over God; they killed God’s prophets; they didn’t believe God a lot. Despite that, they faithfully passed on God’s word from generation to generation. While still struggling with God, they still believed that God was faithful. They recognized the gap between themselves and God…and trusted God. That is a mighty legacy to pass on.

    1) Sometimes when we tell a story, it’s not flattering to ourselves. Can you think of a story someone shared that delivered a good message but put them in a bad light?

    2) Often we give people either too much, or too little leeway in our relationship with them. Can you think of a relationship you have like that? What can you do to balance that out in a God-honoring way?

    3) Pain (emotional and physical) and sacrifice (material and otherwise) are often part of a story of significance. Can you think of something like that which is part of your story?

    FD) The story of our life fits inside of God’s story. What does your story tell others about God?

  • Heartful Rest

    Psalm 23, Deuteronomy 10:12–22, Hebrews 4:4–13

    Sleep is good. Rest is good. Too much of either is bad. Too little of either is bad. Sleep and activity must be balanced. All too often, however, neither of these are correctly balanced in our lives. The lazy or lonely or depressed often get too much rest, and movement begins to cease. Those who are too active, rarely resting, usually become less themselves and even begin to lose their grasp on things, trying to keep it all together. Does any of this sound like you?

    While Psalm 23 may be the most famous psalm, and many take solace in it. In the King James Version, Verse 2 says, “…maketh me to lie down…” The NIV says, “…he makes me lie down…” Some translations do say, “…lets me…”, but most don’t. The Hebrew “rabats” (רָבַץ) has more emphasis than just “lets”. David was a shepherd as a boy, during his most formative years, so shepherding would always be near to his heart and understanding. Sheep (like people) sometimes have to be made to rest. Are you being made to rest? Resting is not everything, though.

    As Moses speaks to the people at the edge of the Promised Land, he calls them to Holy activity. They are instructed to walk in God’s ways. They are to love God. They are to worship God (with their whole hearts and souls). They are to do something. They must be in relationship with God. Yes, there were rules. Before you are quick to judge the Israelites on the law, look at our own law books, and understand that we have far more rules than they did. This perspective is important as we Christians are often too quick to say how bad “all” their laws were. The center of it all was heart and soul directed toward and in relationship with God. As they entered the Promised Land, they were to take this understanding with them. If they had taken it truly to heart and practiced it, the story would have turned out different.

    In some ways, the author of Hebrews is trying to drive home the same point. Hearts aligned with God achieve true rest. However, note that the author of Hebrews did not end there. The author of Hebrews notes that Joshua did fully realize the goal, but does not blame Joshua. It was a pattern of disobedience that led to a lack of rest in the Promised Land. The author of Hebrews is warning his readers that we cannot just “rest” on God’s grace and love. We must respond to it. God’s grace and love don’t “require” a response, but only a response of following, love, and worship (from heart and soul) is a true relationship with God.

    1) Have you ever found yourself checking-off the “God to-do” list? What emotions come to mind when you think of that?

    2) Why do you think Moses emphasizes “heart and soul”? Shouldn’t one be enough? Aren’t they the same? What about the mind?

    3) We are often busy doing “stuff”. How much of this “stuff” is Holy activity?

    FD) Do think it odd that the writer of Hebrews says, “make every effort to enter the rest?” Effort to rest? What does that mean?

  • Being Pulled

    Deuteronomy 9:13–21, Luke 21:34–38, Hebrews 3:12–19

    The culture wars are over. Or are they? Just this week, the Chinese government reaffirmed its attack on Christianity, promising to root out any “Westernizing” characteristics to Chinese culture. The conference last month held by the United Methodist Church was a conflict of cultures (particularly US/Canada versus the Southern Hemisphere). Many American Evangelicals continually attack the prevailing American culture, while others embrace it. These words are not meant to start a strong cultural “conversation”. They are meant to make you realize that there always has been, and always will be a culture war. The culture wars won’t always be in your face. That’s actually the problem. It’s the little things that can lead us toward the wrong things. It is also the little things that can bring us to the best things.

    Moses’ summary of the Israelites behavior (so quick to turn away from God) is a summary of many people’s relationship with God. It is first hot but goes cold quickly. While we can look at the Israelites as different than ourselves, our tendencies are still there. The Israelites may have been called into a covenant life with God (just as we are), but they still were products of a hybrid Egyptian/Hebrew culture. It wasn’t “pure”. There was a culture war in the hearts of the Israelites from the moment Moses approached Pharoah, to…well, it just continued. It never really stopped. The entirety of the Hebrew Testament is a culture war. God’s ways versus the people’s ways.

    Jesus warns the disciples of this when he tells them to be on guard. Now we could say to ourselves that we don’t have a practice of carousing or drunkenness, and most of us don’t when it comes to alcohol. However, there are other behaviors that, while different, result in the same dullness of mind: overwork; exhaustion; over-consumption of internet, media, food, etc. Our minds are easily dulled. Without the sharpness to discern good from bad (long- and short-term), and Godly from not-Godly, we can make decisions that lead us away from a more fulfilling life with God.

    As we turn away from God, and as the world pulls us away from God, bad thoughts, patterns, and habits can build and develop in us to further harden our hearts. When we fully participate in a Godly life, which includes (but is not limited to) fellowship with other believers, our minds should be prepared when it comes to the world. We cannot stand on our own. It would be nice to not have to rely on others, but that is not the way God wired us. We are intended to be in community. This is why the author of Hebrews uses “we”. As participants in the body of Christ, we guard each others’ hearts, and we (should be) sharpening each others’ minds to better discern the worldly from the Godly.

    1) Are you participating in the body of Christ? This does and does not mean showing up on Sundays. Often the temptation on Sundays is to be a consumer or observer, rather than a participant. So, if you are participating, how is it helping you to sharpen your mind?

    2) If you are participating, and your mind is not being sharpened, what can you along with others do to add sharpening? If you are not currently participating, what are you doing to sharpen your mind?

    3) Have you ever experienced something similar to a “dullness of mind”? What significant decisions, if any, have you made in those times? Do you have any regrets with those decisions?

    FD) Friends can have different cultures. Have you ever had a struggle with a friend because there was a cultural difference? What did you do?

  • The Passing of Wisdom and Faith

    Proverbs 3:33–4:27, Genesis 3:21–4:7, Luke 3:4–18

    (Grand)Parents can pass on wisdom to their (biological, mentored, or spiritual) children and grandchildren. Sometimes the wisdom is things learned, sometimes it is pain survived. In Proverbs, we see a collection of wisdom sayings. Living a good life has been twisted in our culture to be a life of collecting stuff and wealth. The proverbs gathered in the book of Proverbs, if actually read, can be an antidote/counterbalance to that. For a number of years, some Christians have taken to reading a chapter of Proverbs a day. At least chapters 1-28 are read every month. Wisdom can be passed on, even habituated, but both the person doing the passing and the person doing the taking must be working together. Often we can pass on knowledge and wisdom (think of all the hours students sit in classrooms). We can even test for knowledge. Ultimately, however, each person must choose to exercise the wisdom they’ve been given. The goal of passing on Godly wisdom is to silence the “wisdom” of the world, and the world is loud.

    Cain, only the second generation(!), succumbed to the world. The first murder happens in the second generation. Let that sink in. It was only the second generation. There is an important lesson in this. The next generation can lose it all. There is a modern proverb, “the Church (thus Christianity) is only one generation away from dying out.” We who pass the faith and our wisdom on to the next generation (and the generation that follows) can only do our best. However, if we understand God’s story, our small story in the middle of God’s story, and give that to those who follow, we increase the likelihood that the Gospel will pass to the next generation. There is a dark side to being the recipient, too.

    The Jews had had the faith passed on to them. They carried it proudly. While they were indeed God’s people, there was an arrogance in many that because their forefathers had passed on the faith and traditions to them, that they were still blessed and protected. John the Baptist wanted them to understand that while the faith was passed down, it wasn’t the rules and rituals that saved and preserved them, it was the grace of God. This grace-filled God wanted a relationship, not empty rituals. While the Israelites had successfully talked to their children in their going and sitting, they had not (apparently) passed on a relationship. The church is often guilty of this same thing. There was a time where as long as the right words were spoken and the right doctrine passed on that all will be well. Except it wasn’t well at all. In response, generations turned to an entirely relational view of God, which made new rules and often disregarded doctrine. Both were (and still are) extremes that the church—to pass on the wisdom and faith—must strive to overcome and find a balance between the two.

    1) What Bible story (or stories) can you remember? What Bible stories do you think non-believers know?

    2) What did the stories teach you about God? What do you think those bible stories teach non-believers?

    3) In those stories, do you see relation, doctrine, or both? Are you able to share those differences with others?

    FD) If you know what is right, do you do it? If not, why not?

  • Hearts In Worship

    Psalm 50, Isaiah 58, Matthew 6:1–18

    Humankind is always trying to figure God out. Humankind will often take a human role/position and apply it to God. It is not wrong to do this, in scripture we see, “Lord of lords.” There is an explicit understanding that no matter how great or powerful any person of influence or power is, God is more so. As the culture and governments change, so did the way God was viewed. For example, in the Roman Empire and well after the fall of the Roman Empire, God was viewed as an emperor. In the Reformation, God was viewed as more of a judge. John Wesley and others viewed God as Father, which is odd, as God the Father was a phrase used while God was viewed as emperor. Yet, God the Father, as the Wesleys understood God the Father, was a loving, caring, and self-sacrificing father. Despite this change, much of the church’s (and thus the people’s) interaction with God is still God as Emperor and God as Judge. This really comes into play when we read things such as Psalm 50, God as Judge.

    The intro (vv. 1-6) set the stage for who God is, some symbolism to correctly identify God, and his command. The tendency is to see devouring fire and judge as bad. The devouring fire, though, is good and purifying (burns away the surface layer), and also reflects the context of this psalm regarding worship, where the sacrifice was burned to make amends to, covenant with, and praise God. When it comes to judge, it is the same word that is also used to contend, plead the cause, vindicate, govern. The best translation is still judge, however, as we dig deeper, it isn’t to condemn. Lastly, God calls heaven and earth. From a legal viewpoint (back to judge), heaven and earth are witnesses regarding the People of God. So, what is causing the issue?

    Wrongly worshipping God. The implication of the verses is that the purpose of the sacrifices is to feed God. This is a logical leap, as the cultures around the Israelites believed exactly that about their sacrifices to their gods. God tells the Israelites that he could eat whatever he wanted if he needed to. First, they are all his (as he made them). Second, because he knows them all and where they are. Then we move on to the Thank Offering. Why? That God tells them to do a thank offering tells us that they missed this vital sacrifice that was part of the Law, but more importantly, should have been part of their hearts. Thanking God had disappeared. While not mentioned in this psalm at all, it probably meant that the Israelites weren’t performing Fellowship Offerings either. What does this tell us? That the Israelites had indeed turned God into judge and did the “right” things to appease God. This, again, takes from the cultures and religious practices from those around them.

    God then goes and addresses those whose hearts don’t even get the whole God thing at all. These are the people that do all the “right” things, but unlike the ones previously addressed, don’t really care whether they do right or wrong. They do wrong and all they care about is avoiding punishment. We’ve all known people like this, who will say the right things to avoid the consequences of their behavior. These are those people. Doing the act doesn’t avoid the punishment, it actually adds to it.

    Lastly, in this psalm, at the end of these two sections, there is promise. People in right relationship with God (which still doesn’t mean they are perfect) will be saved. Not to belabor the point, Isaiah 58 and Matthew 6:1–18 is all about our hearts in worship, and what God does in and for people in right relationship. In his song, “The Heart of Worship,” Matt Redman says/sings:
    When the music fades

    All is stripped away
    And I simply come
    Longing just to bring
    Something that’s of worth
    That will bless Your heart

    Much of our life is filled with adding more and more. Our schedules are full. Our lives are busy. Church services go from one thing to another in a flow. We consume more and more food, drink, energy, data, but in so doing shove God out of our lives. Lent calls upon us to remove things from our lives, not to punish ourselves (as some people claim), but to remind us that God is truly all we need, and all God wants is all of us.

    1) Have you ever been overwhelmed or underwhelmed by a church service? Can you figure out why?

    2) Do you strive to do more things to please people? How about God? Does today’s scripture change your perspective?

    3) There were 3 primary sacrifices in Levitical Law/life: remediation of sin, Thanksgiving, Free Will/Fellowship. What seems to be the primary goal of sacrifice? Which of the 3 do most people focus on? Why?

    FD) What’s the simplest thing you can do to worship God today? What’s the simplest thing you can do to give thanks to God? What’s the simplest thing you can do to be in fellowship with God?

  • Relating Loss

    Genesis 2:20–3:20, Proverbs 3:19–35, Isaiah 3:1–14

    When telling a story it is often best to start at the beginning. Sometimes authors don’t for they feel it might ruin the tension of the story. Other times, the story does start at the beginning for the main character, but that main character is in the middle of a much bigger story which affects the main character. All of us are in the midst of our life story. Our life story takes place among the myriad of life stories of others. Genesis isn’t that way. It’s the beginning. We often become overly concerned of things beyond, “God made it.” We become concerned with how, when, how long, etc. God did make it. That’s the answer. Genesis is and yet isn’t about Creation and God’s making of it. Really it’s about God’s story of God and humankind. The first part of Genesis is more like setting the stage for what is to come…humankind.

    God’s story of humankind is one of relationship. Even the naming of the creatures is relational (if you question that, think of how labeling words spoken can damage relationships). However, God only made one human. God made Adam out of dust, yet chose to make Eve out of Adam. This reinforces not just an emotional relationship, but one to the depths of their bones.

    God didn’t just leave it at that. Based on Genesis 3:8, we can infer that God regularly walked in the garden. Whether that was a poetic license or not, it means that there was an active and ongoing relationship between God and humankind. God didn’t just create and go. God stayed in relationship. And yet, humankind allowed an individual other than God to enter into their relationship with God, and humankind stepped away from relationship with God.

    God “founded the earth by wisdom,” and yet here is humankind walking (sometimes running away) from it. Sadly, there are many who call themselves Christians who are doing it faster than those who don’t. And before you think it is over certain issues of the day, it is so much more than that, and so much deeper. Humankind cannot get along with itself. When we rely on human understanding and wisdom, we will always end up short. In Proverbs, we read about maintaining sound wisdom and discretion. The soundness is based upon God and a relationship with God. Imagine if all of humankind, including us, followed these well. What an amazing place we would live in.

    The consequences of ignoring this God-filled wisdom is loss. Isaiah talks about what is about to happen to Judah’s leaders, but read the list of those to be removed. In all likelihood, you can quickly start tying names and positions to the leaders called out. While Isaiah quotes God as saying, “I will,” if we are honest with ourselves, and about ourselves, cultures and country, we have done a pretty good job at placing unstable and immature people as leaders at many levels (local, county, state, national). Are we at the point where people don’t want to be leaders? Not yet, but at the rate we are turning on each other, it won’t be long.

    1) Relationship is a core piece of Christian thought. In particular relationship with God. Many things can damage our relationship with God, especially habits which were once good, but are no longer. Can you think of anything that has been hampering or damaging your relationship with God?

    2) Why are we so quick to allow others to interfere with our relationship with God?

    3) We are often quick to cast our political, religious, cultural, national rivals as fools or unstable. What does that tell us about ourselves?
    FD) Have you ever wanted to create your own place? Would you create that place to be like a god, or for a different reason?

  • Unveiling Transfiguration

    Psalm 99, Exodus 34:29–35, 2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2, Luke 9:28–36

    Sometimes things we are unaware of about ourselves become a separator be us and others. Imagine Moses already feeling the pressure of leading these people. The strain of leadership along with the regular stubbornness of the Israelites would always keep some separation between Moses and the people. In addition, Moses’ history as part of Pharoh’s household would always be an underlying issue. Now Moses presented himself before God, and he was changed. He was physically different in such a way as apparently people avoided looking at his face. Moses then put on clothing (a veil) that physically and psychologically separated him from his people. We all want to not have to wear masks. We all want to be able to be ourselves with others. Moses no longer had that option. He had to wear a mask (the veil) so that people would interact with him. Moses was blessed to be able to have such an intimate relationship with God. On the other hand, because of that relationship with God, Moses’ relationship with the people was not so good, as they struggled with it.

    Paul uses this example to help explain the way it was in comparison to the new life in Christ. The new life in Christ is where each person, not a single individual, has a relationship with God. In addition, instead of having an outward sign (though still possible), it was now an inward work. As it is now God working inside of us, we are freed from the “veil” that separates our “normal” life from a life with God. However, sometimes we become confused as to how it works (which is easy to do).

    Peter, John, and James accompanied Jesus up the mountain. There was obviously an expectation that this would be a time of reflection and especially prayer. A time of confrontation was not expected by Jesus’ followers. They saw Jesus change from a man to something more. As men steeped in the lessons of the Jews, they would have understood that this is the glory that people experienced when looking at Moses, and yet it was not just Jesus’ face. His entire being and even his clothes were transformed. Adding to the reality of this, Moses (the venerated first prophet) and Elijah (the prophet that was to precede the Messiah) were present. This was beyond any and all expectation.

    Whether the men wanted this experience to continue, or whether they were trying to be respectful, it doubt strange to build shelters. On the other hand, the expectation of being able to visit the great men of Israel (Jesus included) would have been a transformative thing for the entire community, yet it was not to be. The presence of Moses and Elijah accompanying Jesus was not to establish the wise men of Israel but to establish Jesus’ rightful place. the last words to Peter, James, and John, though, was the real lesson. This was the teaching that the prophets and Jesus were handing off the leadership of the new covenant to the next leaders.

    Peter, James, and John were selected. Despite their future failings, there were still the ones that would be leaders of the community that was coming. They would be bearers of God’s grace, truth, love, and freedom. Their personal relationship with Jesus showing that anyone can have a personal relationship with God.

    1) What “veils” exist in your spiritual life?

    2) What things, opportunities, habits, people keep you from relating to others and God?

    3/FD) What lessons can you learn from Peter, James, and John in this event they experienced?