Whether you’re a Christian or not, we need healthy relationships.

• God gave us the solution, in providing a surrogate family to meet our spiritual needs
• We need people we can be vulnerable, social and contribute in meaningful ways.

Vulnerable Relationships are with those we bring in Close

We need Someone to Challenge Us

“The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?” Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God. When a dispute arises, they come to me, and I am the one who settles the case between the quarreling parties. I inform the people of God’s decrees and give them his instructions.” “This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him.”

Ex 18:13-19

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Moses had grown slowly into an unsustainable place in his life

• He’d gone nose blind to his dysfunction

If we aren’t careful, we become workaholics/lazy.

We drift AWAY from spiritual health, not TOWARD it

• Often this happens so slowly that we don’t notice until it’s too late

Can you make a list of two or three Christian friends you respect? Can you commit to spending more time with them?

Maybe you’re not a follower of Jesus, but you can ask God to give you a close, Christian friend who can help you find your way to faith.

We need Someone to Support Us

“Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall. When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!   He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.”

Acts 9:22-28

• How do you expect to thrive spiritually when we starve ourselves, spiritually?

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Application Questions

1. What stood out to you from this message and why?

2. What is one thing God is telling you to START doing because of this message?

3. What is one thing God is telling you to STOP doing because of this message?

4. How will this message change how you act at home, work and in the your relationships?