LIFE TO THE FULL You are about to embark on a nine-week journey that is de- signed to lead you to living life to the full. There are a number of key Scriptures that speak to this idea of living life to the full in contrast to a life that is empty or lived for yourself. Jesus summarized this living life to the full this way: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 NIV These next nine weeks are going to focus on the contrast that the Apostle Paul reveals in Galatians 5:16-26 of living life full of your sinful nature versus living a life full of the God’s Holy Spirit. The culmination of Paul’s contrasting thoughts, summarized in verses 22-23, describes the evidence of a life lived to the full through the metaphor of a fruitful life. There are nine characteristics, or “fruit”, that Paul lists: But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithful- ness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 This guide is designed with five daily readings for each of the nine weeks. The daily readings are for individual reflection with the anticipation that you will find a Life Group to meet with weekly to share and receive insights and encouragement in living the full life that Jesus has invited you into, both as an individual and in the community of His church. Enjoy the journey. Introduction WEEK 1 4 WEEK 2 10 WEEK 3 16 WEEK 4 22 WEEK 5 28 WEEK 6 34 WEEK 7 40 WEEK 8 46 WEEK 9 52 NOTES 58 WEEK ONE A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 NIV Love: agape [agah’pay] affection or benevolence, to serve a person for their good and intrinsic value, not for what the person brings you. The primary key to everything is love. Along with self-control, love is a bookend that helps hold the other fruit in place. It is a love that surpasses human understanding and causes a person to be filled with the fullness of God. Page 4 DAY ONE But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV Some say love is complicated. Some say love is blind. Every generation tries to understand it. They say you can even fall into it. Some go to incredible extremes for it. Yet, God defined love and went to the greatest lengths for love. Here in Romans 5:8, Paul tells us about how God demonstrated His love for us this way: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. This is incredible to be reminded of God’s love for us! That He knew that without His help we would be rendered helpless and eternally separated from Him. He went all in, giving His very best while we were still at our very worst. God’s display of love was one of full commitment, even to the point of death. This act of love was the greatest show of love this world has ever known, and it is all about relationship! This relationship with Jesus doesn’t mean life is always easy. Rather, it provides us with the ability to face anything that comes our way knowing that we won’t ever be alone or without love again if we just let His love come into our lives. DAILY RESPONSE Have you ever asked Jesus into your life? If so, take some time to thank God for His great love & grace! If not, take a moment & ask Him right now… You will never regret it! Do you have hope that God can get you through any situation? Why or why not? Page 5 DAY TWO There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18 NIV There is so much worry & fear in the world today. Whether it’s the fear of catching a “certain” virus or the fear that we’re going to endure extreme suffering or difficulties along the way in this life, fear has been gripping us all for far too long. This portion of scripture is saying… there is no fear in love! It has been said that the opposite of love is hate. This verse would infer other- wise, as it states that there is no fear in love and that perfect love drives out fear. This would suggest more so that love’s opposite is not hate but fear. Thus, when we find ourselves in fearful situations, circumstances, or uncertainties, we as the followers of JESUS must be reminded of God’s perfect love that we were made in and allow that reminder to be our rescue from our worry and our fear. DAILY RESPONSE What’s your greatest fear in living out God’s love towards others? Is that fear rational or irrational? What fear do you believe is stopping you from loving people the way Jesus calls us to love people? Page 6 DAY THREE Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9 NIV It would seem that there is less and less of a concern with what is good and what is evil these days. The common conversation seems to lean more towards what is real and what is fake. Cue recent buzz words like “Fact Checkers” & “Fake News”. Because of that, it would seem that the objective has switched from fo- cusing on what is “good and evil” and has moved on to a longing of knowing what is “sincere”. As Paul wrote here in Romans 12:9 he states that “Love must be sincere…” Now, there is no debate that this must be the case, the placement is interesting. Did you notice this is what he leads with? It would seem that the holy spirit inspired Paul to order these words knowing where we would be in our today! In a world seemingly less focused on what is good vs. evil, and more focused on what is authentic vs. fake, we as the body of Christ must lead our lives with sincere love. DAILY RESPONSE Where do you battle to sincerely show God’s love the most? Friends, Family, Coworkers, on the road driving or in the drive thru at the coffee stand? Why does sincere love come solely from God & not of ourselves or how we think or feel? Week One DAY FOUR And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV Have you ever been to a wedding? I’m sure you have & if you haven’t you will someday soon enough. Often at weddings the pastor will reference a scripture about “love”. More times than not it’s the very verse we just read in 1 Corinthians. Did you know that the apostle Paul didn’t think, “You know what? In a couple thousand years from now people are really going to need a bible verse to reference at their weddings so I better write something on “love.”? This verse in 1 Corinthians is written right in the middle of a list of other gifts God has given to His church. He references them as “Spiritual Gifts.” Through this portion of scripture, Paul lists “love” as the greatest gift of them all! Let us be reminded today that the gift of love is one we receive from God but it’s also the one we give back to God as well as give to others. Knowing that there are many other gifts He has given us, Paul reminds us that this gift of love is the greatest of all! DAILY RESPONSE If love is a gift God has given us to use, who are you going to engage with this amazing gift today? Being that love is the greatest gift of all, shouldn’t it be the most consistent gift we operate in? How will you apply this truth to your life on a more consistent basis? Page 8 DAY FIVE A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35 NIV Did you know that God loves everyone? Yes, even that person you just thought of that is extremely unlovable in your eyes. Jesus loves them and others who you or I would categorize with them. The bad, the good, the rich, the poor, the thieves, the diseased, the religious & the irreligious. Because He loves us all, we are called to love as He loves. This command He says, “Love one another. As I have loved you…” is not easy to do! Is it? NO. But, because Jesus called us to it, He will grace us through it. Mean- ing, that if God would ever call us to, or command us to, obey Him to do something, He enables us to be successful in.