Genesis 1: ²⁶God said, "Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures." ²⁷So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women. Genesis 2: ¹⁸The LORD God said, "It isn't good for the man to live alone".... ²⁴That's why a man will leave his own father and mother. He marries a woman, and the two of them become like one person. (CEV)
1. Why do marriages often experience lots of problems when God make us to be like Himself?

John 17: ²¹I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me. ²²I have honored my followers in the same way that you honored me, in order that they may be one with each other, just as we are one. ²³I am one with them, and you are one with me, so that they may become completely one. Then this world's people will know that you sent me.(CEV)
2. What is there about being in unity that makes people who see it believe that God sent Jesus?

Mark 2: ²⁹Jesus answered, "'....you have only one Lord and God. ³⁰You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.' ³¹The second most important commandment says: 'Love others as much as you love yourself.' No other commandment is more important than these." (CEV)
3. How does loving God and loving others also depend on and produce intimacy in marriage?

Philippians 2: ³Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. ⁴Care about them as much as you care about yourselves ⁵and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: ⁶Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. ⁷He gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us. (CEV)
4. When we think mainly of our own desires and interests, how does this destroy intimacy?

Ephesians 5: ²⁸In the same way, a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows that he loves himself. ²⁹None of us hate our own bodies. We provide for them and take good care of them, just as Christ does for the church, ³⁰because we are each part of his body. ³¹As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother to get married, and he becomes like one person with his wife." (CEV)
5. How should our love and care for our own bodies teach us to also care for our mates?

1 Corinthians 7: ²Well, having your own husband or wife should keep you from doing something immoral. ³Husbands and wives should be fair with each other about having sex. ⁴A wife belongs to her husband instead of to herself, and a husband belongs to his wife instead of to himself. (CEV)
6. Describe why God wants us to be generous to each other, giving ourselves to each other.

Please study the above references and then add your observations and applications:
Observations                                                             Applications
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Click for Group Prayer Needs
Click for Prev Agenda No. 246  or   Next Agenda No. 248
....Click on Grp No for Chapter 14 -  "Growing A Heart That Seeks For God"
[grp178] - [grp179] - [grp180] - [grp181] - [grp182] - [grp183] - [grp184] - [grp185] - [grp186] - [grp187] - [grp188] - [grp189] - [grp190] - [grp191] - [grp192] - [grp193] - [grp194] - [grp195] - [grp196] - [grp197] - [grp198] - [grp199] - [grp200] - [grp201] - [grp202] - [grp203] - [grp204] - [grp205] - [grp206] - [grp207] - [grp208] - [grp209] - [grp210] - [grp211] - [grp212] - [grp213] - [grp214] - [grp215] - [grp216] - [grp217] - [grp218] - [grp219] - [grp220] - [grp221] - [grp222] - [grp223] - [grp224] - [grp225] - [grp226] - [grp227] - [grp228] - [grp229] - [grp230] - [grp231] - [grp232] - [grp233] - [grp234] - [grp235] - [grp236] - [grp237] - [grp238] - [grp239] - [grp240] - [grp241] - [grp242] - [grp243] - [grp244] - [grp245] - [grp246] - [grp247] - [grp248] - [grp249] - [grp250] - [grp251] - [grp252] - [grp253] - [grp254] - [grp255] - [grp256] - [grp257] - [grp258] - [grp259] -
Click for [Introduction]  To Coaching Christ-Like Small Groups
Click To Visit Jean and Warren's Page and Link Organizer
Click For Contents-1 and Book One
Click For Contents-2 and Book Two
Click For Contents-3 and Book Three
Click For Contents-4 and Book Four