Hope City Church Savannah
Relationships Made Simple
Embark on a soulful journey this February with our teaching series, “Relationships Made Simple.” Dive into the spiritual essence of love, friendship, and family dynamics as we explore biblical and practical insights, engage in heartfelt discussions, and draw transformative lessons that simplify the sacred art of building meaningful connections. Join us on this month-long spiritual exploration, where we seek simplicity, joy, and divine wisdom to elevate and enrich our relationships. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience spiritual growth and transformation in your relationships!
Locations & Times
Hope City Church Savannah
11 Gateway Blvd S, Savannah, GA 31419, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
Sunday 9:45 AM
Sunday 11:30 AM
Relationships Made Simple Series
Part 4: Be Careful What You ask For
(Genesis 15:1-6) – After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,[a] your very great reward.[b]” 2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
(Genesis 16:1-12) – Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” 6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. 9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” 11 The angel of the Lord also said to her:
“You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael,[a] for the Lord has heard of your misery. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward[b] all his brothers.”
3 negative impacts of making poor decisions and failing to trust the process
· Our relationships become strained.
· We experience emotional turmoil.
· We give birth to Ishmaels.
4 ways to strengthen the relationships that means the most:
1. Think Before You Speak
Proverbs 15:28 (NIV) - "The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil."Proverbs 16:23 (NIV) - "The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction."
2. Consider Others
Philippians 2:4 (NIV) - "Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others."Romans 15:2 (NIV) - "Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up."
3. Trust God's Way
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) - "‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'"
4. Learn from Mistakes
Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) - "for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes."James 1:2-4 (NIV) - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Part 4: Be Careful What You ask For
(Genesis 15:1-6) – After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,[a] your very great reward.[b]” 2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
(Genesis 16:1-12) – Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” 6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. 9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” 11 The angel of the Lord also said to her:
“You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael,[a] for the Lord has heard of your misery. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward[b] all his brothers.”
3 negative impacts of making poor decisions and failing to trust the process
· Our relationships become strained.
· We experience emotional turmoil.
· We give birth to Ishmaels.
4 ways to strengthen the relationships that means the most:
1. Think Before You Speak
Proverbs 15:28 (NIV) - "The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil."Proverbs 16:23 (NIV) - "The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction."
2. Consider Others
Philippians 2:4 (NIV) - "Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others."Romans 15:2 (NIV) - "Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up."
3. Trust God's Way
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) - "‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'"
4. Learn from Mistakes
Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) - "for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes."James 1:2-4 (NIV) - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."