Written in Heaven

***Before you begin! Reaffirm the ‘Vegas’ rule with your group – what happens in small groups stays in small groups. This is very important to talk about every week. Encourage everyone that the environment is safe, and that there is no judgment.

***The reason we do small groups is to ‘belong and become’ – Have a safe group of friends to belong to and become more like Jesus every day. This is the vision of small groups – remind your group of this each week.

1. Do we all believe in the concept of a destiny (something to which a person or a thing is set apart for)? Do you think everyone knows they have a destiny? In what ways do we try to fulfill our own destiny’s apart from God?

2. Read Acts 17:24-25 as well as Jeremiah 1:5. Why is it so hard for us to believe in a Creator? Why do people have such a hard time believing that they are an on purpose creation of God? Have you ever struggled with this understanding? How did you come to the place where you are now?

3. Read Acts 17:26. Verse 26 says, “he determined the times set for them and the exact places they should live.” Think about what that means for a second. What are some of the scenarios around the world today that make this statement troubling? As we think about this in terms of destiny, what are some of the ways we are ‘destined’ to help as the body of Christ?

4. Read Acts 17:27. God is hungry for a relationship with us. Has there been a time in your life when you felt like God was far away from you? Would you feel comfortable sharing that situation with the group? How do we ensure that we keep a strong relationship with God in the midst of the storms of life?

5. In John 10:10, Jesus says that “I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.” Have you experienced this full life that Jesus offers? What’s the difference between a life with Jesus and a life without him? Are there areas of your life where you are not experiencing this fullness that Christ talks about? Could we pray with you about that right now?

***As always, end the group with general sharing of prayer requests and prayer. Some groups have found it effective to pray for each request as it’s given, rather than creating the list of requests. Use your discretion as a leader.