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• Kingdom Alignment Part 10 with Discussion Guide

  Kingdom Alignment Part 10 Discussion Guide

  Summary

  In this message, the pastor explores what it means to live with an undivided heart as part of the ongoing series on Kingdom Alignment. Drawing from Psalm 86:11 and Matthew 6, he walks through three key truths about the heart: the heart always moves toward what it loves, the heart sees through what it loves, and the heart eventually serves what it trusts. Each of these points connects back to the central question of whether our hearts are divided or whole in their devotion to God. The pastor emphasizes that Kingdom Alignment is not about trying harder or following a checklist of spiritual disciplines. It is about allowing the Holy Spirit to continually shape us into people whose whole hearts belong to the Father. Through the promise of a new heart found in Ezekiel and the invitation of the gospel, Jesus offers us freedom from divided loyalties and the clarity that comes from being fully aligned with God. The practical challenge is to ask God to reveal where our hearts have become divided and to pray daily, “Lord, give me an undivided heart.”

  Intro Prayer

  Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing us together today. As we open Your Word and discuss what it means to live with an undivided heart, we ask that You search us and reveal any areas where our hearts have drifted. Holy Spirit, we invite You into this conversation. Help each of us to be open and honest, and may what You want us to receive today take root deeply in our hearts. We trust You to lead this time. In Jesus’ name, amen.

  Ice Breaker

  What is one hobby or activity that you find it nearly impossible to do halfway? You always end up going all in on it.

  Key Verses

  • Psalm 86:11
  • Matthew 6:19-21
  • Matthew 6:22-23
  • Matthew 6:24
  • Ezekiel 36:26-27

  Questions

  • The pastor described the heart as something that always moves toward what it loves. What are some everyday things that quietly compete for the center of your heart without you even realizing it?
  • David prays in Psalm 86:11, ‘Give me an undivided heart.’ Why do you think he prays for an undivided heart rather than a stronger or smarter heart? What does that tell us about what we actually need?
  • The pastor said that if we are motivated by guilt or shame, our hearts are not truly being changed. How have you experienced the difference between doing something out of obligation versus doing it out of genuine love for God?
  • Jesus says in Matthew 6:22-23 that the eye is the lamp of the body. The pastor connected this to spiritual perception, saying that what our hearts value shapes how we see the world and the people around us. Can you think of a time when your heart posture changed how you viewed a situation or a person?
  • The pastor mentioned that anything, including comfort, success, approval, or control, can become an idol if it replaces simple love for Christ. Which of those four do you think is the most subtle and hardest to recognize in your own life?
  • God promises in Ezekiel 36:26-27 to give us a new heart and put His Spirit in us. How does knowing that a whole heart is something God gives us, rather than something we manufacture on our own, change the way you approach your spiritual life?
  • The pastor shared the story of missionaries searching for “persons of peace” and connected it to the idea that an undivided heart can have a powerful impact on the people around us. Who in your life might be watching to see if your faith is real? How does that motivate you?
  • The pastor closed by encouraging everyone to pray, ‘Lord, give me an undivided heart,’ as a daily practice this week. What do you think would change in your daily life if that prayer became a genuine, consistent habit?

  Life Application

  This week, set aside a few quiet minutes each morning to pray the simple prayer from Psalm 86:11: ‘Lord, give me an undivided heart.’ As you go through your day, pay attention to the moments when you feel pulled in a different direction, whether by fear, comparison, the need for approval, or the desire for control. When you notice those moments, pause and ask God to reveal what your heart is trusting in that moment. At the end of the week, journal or reflect on what He showed you and bring it back to your small group or a trusted friend.

  Key Takeaways

  • The heart always moves toward what it loves, which means what we treasure and value will ultimately shape the direction of our lives.
  • The heart sees through what it loves, so our spiritual perception and how we view the people around us is directly connected to what our hearts are aligned with.
  • The heart eventually serves what it trusts, and anything that replaces simple love for Christ can become a divided loyalty that pulls us away from the Father.
  • Kingdom Alignment is not about trying harder or doing more. It is about allowing the Holy Spirit to continually align our hearts with the Father.
  • Jesus offers us a whole heart through the gospel. He promises new hearts and His Spirit within us, freeing us from divided allegiance so we can live fully aligned with God.

  Ending Prayer

  Father, thank You for this time together and for the truth that You do not ask us to fix our divided hearts on our own. You promise to give us new hearts and to place Your Spirit within us. We ask that You take everything we have discussed today and let it move from our heads into our hearts. Where we have been trusting in comfort, success, approval, or control, we surrender those things to You now. Teach us Your ways, Lord, that we may rely on Your faithfulness. Give each person in this group an undivided heart, one that treasures You, sees the world through Your eyes, and follows You as the one true Master. May our lives be a witness to the people around us that knowing You changes everything. In the name of Jesus, amen.

  Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

• Kingdom Alignment Part 9 with Discussion Guide

  Kingdom Alignment Part 9 Discussion Guide

  Summary

  This sermon, part of a series called “Kingdom Alignment” working through Matthew 6, focuses on Jesus’ teaching that no one can serve two masters, specifically addressing the tension between serving God and serving mammon. The pastor explains that mammon is more than just money. It represents everything we falsely believe money provides, such as security, freedom, peace, power, and significance. These are things that only God can truly give, and when money occupies that place in our hearts, it becomes a form of false worship that steals real life from us.

  The pastor walks through what he calls the “Mammon Trap,” a practical pattern where people live beyond their means through debt, often spending at 120% or more of their income. He outlines a path toward financial freedom built on living on 80% of income, eliminating debt, saving 10% for emergencies and future needs, and giving 10% generously and cheerfully. The deeper point is not financial advice but a call to examine what truly holds first place in our hearts, because wherever we look first for security, peace, significance, and hope reveals who or what our real master is.

  Intro Prayer

  Heavenly Father, we come before You today with open hands and open hearts. We ask that You quiet the noise of worry, ambition, and distraction as we gather together. Lord, we know that You are our security, our peace, and our greatest treasure. As we discuss Your Word today, we ask that You reveal anything in our hearts that has taken the place that belongs only to You. Give us ears to hear what Your Spirit is saying, and give us the courage to respond. May this time together draw us closer to You and to one another. In the name of Jesus, amen.

  Ice Breaker

  What is one purchase you saved up for and worked hard to get, and how did it feel when you finally bought it?

  Key Verses

  • Matthew 6:24
  • 1 Timothy 6:10
  • Proverbs 22:7
  • Proverbs 21:20
  • Luke 14:28-30
  • 2 Corinthians 9:7

  Questions

  • Jesus says you cannot serve both God and mammon. In your own words, what do you think it means to “serve” money rather than simply use it?
  • The pastor described mammon as everything we falsely believe money represents, such as security, freedom, peace, and significance. Which of those false promises do you find most tempting to look for in money rather than in God?
  • The sermon emphasized that true righteousness comes from the inside out, not from following external rules. How does that idea change the way you think about financial habits and generosity?
  • The pastor said that how you handle money reveals your heart to you, even though God already knows your heart. Has there been a moment in your life when your spending or saving habits revealed something about what you truly valued?
  • The “Mammon Trap” was described as living beyond 100% of your income through debt. Have you ever felt trapped by financial pressure, and how did it affect other areas of your life, including your relationship with God?
  • Proverbs 22:7 says the borrower is slave to the lender. How does the concept of financial debt connect to the broader biblical theme of freedom and slavery that runs through the story of Exodus?
  • The pastor suggested that saving up to buy something often means you end up not buying it at all. What does that say about the nature of many of our wants and desires, and how can that insight shape the way we make decisions?
  • The sermon ended with four reflective questions: Where do you look first for security, peace, significance, and hope? How would you honestly answer those questions right now, and what would it look like to reorient your heart toward God in those areas?

  Life Application

  This week, take 15 to 20 minutes to track every dollar you spend each day and write it down. At the end of the week, review your spending and honestly ask yourself: Does where my money goes reflect what I say I value most? Then choose one concrete step, whether that is starting a small emergency fund, creating a simple spending plan, or committing to give a percentage of your income, and take that step as an act of worship, placing God back at the center of your financial life.

  Key Takeaways

  • Mammon is not just money. It is everything we falsely believe money provides, including security, peace, and significance, and it competes directly with God for first place in our hearts.
  • Jesus is calling for an inside-out transformation of the heart, not just better financial behavior. True freedom from the mammon trap begins with yielding to the Holy Spirit and letting God occupy the place only He deserves.
  • Living beyond your means through debt is a form of bondage that limits your choices, steals your peace, and keeps you from experiencing the full and abundant life God intends for you.
  • A practical path toward financial freedom involves getting out of debt, building savings, and cultivating a generous Spirit, with the goal of living on 80%, saving 10%, and giving 10%.
  • Where you look first for security, peace, significance, and hope reveals who your true master is. Regularly examining those instincts is a spiritual discipline, not just a financial one.

  Ending Prayer

  Lord, thank You for Your Word and for the way it cuts through the noise of our culture to speak truth to our hearts. We confess that we have sometimes looked to money and possessions for the things that only You can provide. Forgive us for the moments we have allowed mammon to sit on the throne that belongs to You alone. As we leave this time together, we ask that You give us the courage to take honest looks at our hearts and our habits. Help us to trust You as our true security, our real peace, and our deepest joy. May our lives and our finances reflect that You are Lord over everything. In the powerful and priceless name of Jesus, amen.

  Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.