Concept from “Home Run” by Kevin Meyers and John Maxwell

1. God Connection Seeking After God with All of Ones’ Heart2. Godly Character Inner Transformation into Christ-Likenes3. God-Given Capabilities Doing Good

Works that Honor God & Meet Needs 4. Godly Community Balanced Giving &

Receiving - Being a Blessing & Being Blessed

SURE WAYS TO LOSE IN LIFE1. Start with Self. Skip home and go directly

to first base and the person becomes the center of the universe. God, others, and the motives for what one does in life will simply be self-focused and manipulated for ones’ own sense of fulfilment.

2. Start with works. Starting at second will see a person’s value coming from what they do rather than who they are. This person will look to the acknowledgement and appreciation of others for their sense of value. Their sense of self-worth and/or their attitude towards others will correspond to the level to which this happens.

3. Start with Others. Starting at third, without putting God first and developing godliness based in a God-given self-worth, will lead to neediness and demandedness and

people will become tools simply to meet a person’s own needs. This person may not realize this or be willing to admit it but using people will become a hallmark of skipping home & first base.

4. Misdirected Faith. Faith can simply lead to a person-created religion, simply fashioning one's beliefs to suit their own imaginations. It also can become self-centered where a person simply is committed to their own spiritual pursuits, never fulfilling the commandments “to love” and “to go make disciples.” Religion then can undermine a healthy love relationship with God, with self, and with others.Running God’s Way TO WIN AT

LIVE1. Seeking After God with All of Ones’

Heart We start at home base, connecting with God by receiving Jesus as our Savior through His forgiveness, making Jesus the Lord of all our life by maturing as a disciple of Jesus and basing all that we do in relationship to God, self, and others upon the teachings of God’s Word.

2. Inner Transformation into Christlikeness Through growing in discipleship we continue to be transformed from the inside out, finding our self-worth in our relationship with God alone, growing in saying “no” to ungodliness and “yes” to godliness, and developing our spiritual gifts & natural talents to be used to serve God.

3. Doing Good Works that Honor God & Meet Needs If we have a solid self-worth based in God, we will be less needy and, therefore, will be able to use our God-given capabilities of natural abilities and spiritual gifts to honor God and be a blessing by serving others.

4. Balanced Giving & Receiving - Being a Blessing & Being Blessed With this self-worth that reduces neediness and demandedness we can enter into community with a godly balance between getting my needs met and sharing myself in ways that help meets the needs of others.

5. I continue working in order the bases for the rest of my life.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my

body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a

cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for

the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand

of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

2 THINGS TO BE SURE OF IN LIFE'S NEEDINESS

15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace

with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16

1. We can receive God’s Mercy.Pity, compassion; kindness towards the miserable & the afflicted, joined with a

desire to help relieve them.God not giving me what I do deserve.

2. We can find God’s Grace.God giving me what I do not deserve. “Favor, disposed to, inclined, favorable

towards, leaning towards to share benefit" –preeminently used of the Lord’s favor – freely extended to give Himself away to people (because He is "always leaning

toward them").Refers to God freely extending Himself (His favor, grace), reaching (inclining) to people because He is disposed to bless (be near)

them. From HELPS Word-Studies

There is a word in both Hebrew and Greek that translate the exact same character of

God.

5 TRUTHS ABOUT GOD’S GRACE

To the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance

with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:7

1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit

that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind,

and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were

dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us

up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he

might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 

9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

1. It is freely given and lavished on us in Christ, and by it through faith we can have the forgiveness of our sins, look forward to immeasurable riches of His kindness shown towards us in the coming ages and be able to do good works He has prepared in advance for us to do.

9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Definition of “perfect”:

To bring to an end, complete, fulfil. Teléō, from telos, meaning to complete i.e. finish (qualitatively) the necessary

process resulting in "rolling-over" to the next level (phase) of consummation.   The root “tel” means "reaching

the end (aim)." It is well-illustrated in the old pirate's telescope, unfolding (extending out)

one stage at a time to function at full-strength (capacity effectiveness)

Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.

For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

2. It perfects His power in our weaknesses, giving us a seemingly ironic perspective

that when we are weak, in His sufficient grace, we are actually progressively strong.

“My Grace is sufficient; it is enough for you.My grace works best in weakness.”

-Sheila Walsh, “It’s Okay, Not to be Okay

But it isn’t okay to not deal with not being okay.

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it.

But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already

laid, which is Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 3:10-11

3. It helps us to lay a foundation on Jesus Christ and to carefully build our lives on no one or anything else than Him and His teachings.

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present

age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness

and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

 Titus 2:11-14

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given

you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:13

4. It teaches us to renounce ungodliness and live godly lives, to be zealous for good works, and be self-controlled with minds prepared for action as we wait for the blessed hope of Christ’s return.

10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied

grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11

5. It is given to each of us in the form of various gifts and we are to be good stewards of our specific, individual gifts by serving one another, in order to glorify God through Jesus Christ.

THE BOTTOM LINE OF A DISCIPLE’S LIFE: LOVE

35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest

commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets

hang on these two commandments.”Matthew 22:35-40

“As” can be 1.An adverb of comparison 2. Or a conjunction of time, purpose,

and consequence Definitions can include:

Like as How When While As soon as So that

‘Love your neighbor like as or how [you love] yourself.’

‘Love your neighbor when or while [you love] yourself.’

‘Love your neighbor as soon as [you love] yourself.’

‘Love your neighbor so that [you love] yourself.’

1. Love the Lord your God with all that you are (body, soul, & spirit) – totally, completely.

2. At the same time as you love yourself, and in the same way, love your neighbor.In order to truly be effective in

“game of” life we must have:

1. A right love relationship with God, 2. A right love relationship towards our self,

and 3. Have right love relationships with others.

Weekly Going Deeper Study Guide (rev. Jan. 2020)For GOD’S GAME PLAN FOR LIFE

Before beginning each day simply ask God to help you see things that He would have you to see. When finished, pray again asking for the faith and the courage to follow His lead in areas He

speaks to you about.

DAY 11. Without rushing, read through this week’s lesson.2. Paraphrase in 2 or 3 sentences what in your mind is the main message you get out of this

lesson.

DAY 21. Carefully read and meditate on each of the scriptures in this week’s lesson.2. Identify one that speaks out to you in a special way and write down what it means to you.

DAY 31. Reread the lesson.2. Write down any things you see that God would want you to avoid, change, or give up.3. Write down the most positive thing you see that you would really like to see become part of

your life.

THROUGHOUT THE WEEK (Next Page)Journal this week in any of the areas below, marking area to share with your small group that could benefit from.

An insight you have gained about your bruises, brokenness or bondages. Something you applied from Compassionate Recovery to help you with a

struggle. A way you reached out to another to help you when you were in a

struggle. A way you were led to reach out to someone else you were concerned

for. Something you read in the lesson that really spoke to you. Something you discovered new from the Bible scriptures used in the

lesson. Something that you are especially thankful for in how God is using

Compassionate Recovery in your life. Other