1. What has been your biggest take away from this whole series?

2. In the video, Tony describes different types of relationships with god by comparing them to planets. He says some are "cold" others are "hot" and some are even "hot or cold". What does it mean in practical, everyday life descriptions to reflect the following type of relationships?

• Cold:
• Hot:
• Hot or Cold:

3.Tony quotes Jeremiah 29:11 in the video teaching, referring to it as averse of hope in a very negative book. At the time of the writing, God's people had distanced themselves from God and would be categorized as "cold". Read Jeremiah 29:11-14 as a group.

• What is the key to moving from a negative experience of life towards a positive one of personal and spiritual intimacy?
• In your own words, describe what must be done for God to "restore" someone to the path of purpose?
  

4. In the video lesson, Tony says "if you want to know the plan for your life, don't go looking for the plan. Look for the Planner".

• When you are pursuing various life purposes and endeavors, do you often go to God or others first?
• How does drawing closer to God enable you to understand the plan for your life to make better decisions with your endeavors?

4. Read Ephesians 4:11-13 together.

• Why is it important to live intentionally in Christian community and pursue your role in it?
• In what ways are you or do you need to use your gifts in order to build up the body of Christ?

5. Take some time to pray for our revival weekend.

• Ask God to manifest His presence and touch every person in attendance.
• Pray for everyone who will be serving that weekend
• Pray for each other, pray God will soften your heart towards Him.
  

1. What stood out to you from the video teaching? Take a moment to share with others.

2. How does abiding in our Savior help us know who we are and to bear fruit

3. Tony compares the outward manifestation of our personal relationship with God to that of a popcorn seed popping due to the internal moisture heating up. What is the internal moisture compared to spiritually?

4. In the video, Tony connects the act of bearing fruit to the qualities that show up in actual fruit. He lists 3 distinct aspects of fruit.

• What are those 3 distinct aspects of fruit?
• Describe practical examples that would reflect each of those qualities.

5. Read Galatians 2:20 together. What does this verse tell us about how we are to live our lives? Describe what this looks like in contemporary, everyday terms?

6. Take a moment to pray for our Revival Weekend (Sept 17-19), that He would create a hunger in us to draw near to Him. That His power would manifest in every person that weekend.

1. Read 2 Corinthians 1:9-10 together:

“In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.”

•  What did Paul say was the reason they “expected to die”?

• Is it possible to not cooperate with a crisis and wind up becoming hardened and bitter as a result? What does non-cooperation often look like?

2. In the video, Tony said the greatest times of knowing God come when there is a contradiction in your crisis. He called this a “catch-22”. He spoke about the Israelite's leaving Egypt and said, “The red Sea is before me, and I have no option. You can’t go back, can’t go forward. When God puts you in a crisis, that’s a catch-22. He’s creating an opportunity for you to see Him at a level you haven’t seen Him before”. How should your awareness of God’s spiritual purpose behind a “catch-22” affect how you respond in the midst of it?

3. Mention positive results that can arise from a painful crisis in our lives.

4. During the video, Tony compares life to a thousand-piece puzzle, a winding road with detours, and the complex intricacies within a watch. Wisdom is needed in order to navigate life’s challenges well. Tony defines wisdom as “the ability to apply biblical truth to your situation”. Read Proverbs 1:7 together. What does it mean to “fear” God?

5. Tony concludes the video teaching with an illustration about his son Jonathan’s pit bulls. What was your biggest takeaway from that illustration?

6. To finish, take some time to pray for one another, if you’re facing a painful crisis ask God to help you seek him intimately so His power can flow in you. If you are not in a crisis right now, ask God to give you wisdom related to a past wound or trauma.

1. What is a prominent principle that stood out to you from the video teaching? Take a moment to share why it stood out to you.

2. In the video, Tony describes the difference between national news and local news. In your own words explain the difference between them. How does that compare to the written Word and the revelation of the Spirit?

3. Read 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 together. What is the connection between the Holy Spirit and the thoughts of God?

4. Tony says that the Holy Spirit’s job, according to 1 Corinthians 2:7-11, is to turn up the “dimmer switch” on God’s Word in order to illuminate us to both understand and experience God and His leading in our lives. Can you describe a time when the Spirit did that for you? What was the result?

5. Read 1 John 4:1 together. In light of this caution, how can believers discern direction from the Holy Spirit?

6. Tony made an important distinction concerning the order of the words in 1 Thessalonians 5:23… Spirit, Soul & Body. Why is this important?

7. Identify one area in your life where you need more spiritual discernment and guidance.

1. Tony begins this session with an illustration about seat belts and how close couples in love used to sit together when they didn’t have seat belts. He says, “Intimacy was reflected by closeness.” On a scale of 1 to 10, where are you in your intimacy (that is, closeness) with God? In other words, how close would you set next to Him in a car without seat belts?

2. In what ways might we hinder the process of getting close to God?

3. In what ways can we help the process of getting close to God?

4. In the video, tony gives the illustration of a woman married to an unloving husband who had her complete a list of duties in their home. When her husband died, she married someone who loved and cherished her. She found the old list and realized she was doing everything on it- but not because she was forced to do so. She was motivated by love. On a scale from 1-10, where would you rate your motivation to serve God? (1 being “duty” and 10 being “intimacy”)

5. Zechariah 4:6 says, “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of host.” Describe how this verse connects to our empowerment that comes from knowing God intimately?

6. As you read the following verses, identify 7 distinct periods of time or places that you read about in these verses where someone sought God:

• “Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; for I trust in You; teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift my soul.” Psalm 143:8
  
• “It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night.” Psalm 92:1-2
• “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the might watches.” Psalm 63:6
• “At night my soul longs for You; indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently.” Isaiah 26:9
  
•  “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” Mark 1:35