Breakthrough In Relationships Series

Video Transition: Les and Leslie Parrott - Relationships – Real Relationships clip

Story: Les Parrot notes, “In the autumn of 1992, we did something unusual. We offered a course at Seattle Pacific University that promised to answer questions openly and honestly about family, friends, dating, and sex. In short, its purpose was to teach the basics of good relationships. Colleges around the world offer instruction on nearly every conceivable topic, but try to find a course on how to have good relationships and you’ll look for a long time. We wanted to change that. As a psychologist (Les) and a marriage and family therapist (Leslie) teaching on a university campus, we had our hands on stacks of relationship research showing that, with a little help, most of us can make our bad relationships better and our good relationships great. And that’s exactly what we wanted to teach students to do.”

I word it this way “We need to know how to get spiritual breakthroughs in our relationships.”

Les continues, “Since that first autumn, we have lectured to thousands of students on campuses and in churches across the country, teaching the basics of good relationships. And we always begin with the same sentence: If you try to find intimacy with another person before achieving a sense of wholeness on your own, all your relationships become an attempt to complete yourself. Why does this sentence matter? Because your relationship can only be as healthy as you are. Therefore one of the most important things you’ll ever do to build healthy relationships is work on your own personal wellbeing – emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. Truth be told, we can’t rely on someone else to complete us. Not even our spouse. Ultimately, our compulsion for completion is met in a relationship with God. And it’s the Holy Spirit, as this week’s verse indicates, that empowers us to grow strong. The more we lean into the Holy Spirit for “completion” the healthier we become. This single sentence that we give to our students in Relationships 101 holds the key to finding genuine fulfillment for every relationship—including your marriage. If you do not grasp its message, the best you can hope for is a false and fleeting sense of emotional closeness, the kind that comes from a series of temporary attachments. Once you understand and internalize the truth of this sentence, however, you’ll discover the abiding comfort of belonging—to each other and ultimately to God.”

https://www.lesandleslie.com/devotions/the-single-sentence/

Our Theme this year - Breakthrough 2020

Thesis: In 2020 we are looking for spiritual breakthroughs in our lives, our relationships, our souls, our families, our church, our school, and our community. This is our vision and prayer! But to get the desired breakthrough in our these areas requires us to have 20 – 20 vision from the Lord. We need to see into the spiritual realm and learn how to use His weapons which will bring us the spiritual breakthroughs.

Scripture Texts:

2 Corinthians 10:3-4: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

Philippians 4:19: "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

Sermon 1: Breakthrough in relationships

Thesis: With the inner guiding and power of the Holy Spirit we can learn how to get a breakthrough in bad or strained relationships. Breakthrough is possible is most relationships if we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us relationship skills. God designed us all to be in relationship with Him and with each other.

Scripture Texts:

Acts 2:42-47 New International Version (NIV)

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Ephesians 3:16, NIV

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”

??Another NIV version words it this way – “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.” – Ephesians 3:16, NIV 2nd???? ??????

Introduction:

Quote Dr. Smalley : “LIFE IS RELATIONSHIPS; THE REST IS JUST DETAILS. THIS IS THE GREATEST TRUTH. EVERYTHING IN LIFE THAT TRULY MATTERS CAN BE BOILED DOWN TO RELATIONSHIPS.”