A Good Preacher

"When you hear a nightingale you hear an excellent preacher. He exorts with this gospel, not
mere words but by deed and example."
-Martin Luther


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THOUGHT: Practical Atheist 02 Followup

Describe someone you know who is truly passionate about something in their life. How has that passion shaped the way they live their life?

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Isaiah 29:13 (NIV)

• Do you feel you are more passionate about Christ this year than last year? Why or why not?

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:14-16 (NIV)

10 characteristics of a lukewarm Christian:
1. Crave acceptance from people more than acceptance from God.
2. Rarely discuss their relationship with Christ with others
3. Do whatever it takes to alleviate their guilt
• Why are we sometimes more passionate about our relationships with other people than we are about our relationship with God?
4. Think more about life on earth than eternity in heaven
5. Gauge their morality by comparing themselves to others
6. Want to avoid the penalty of sin without changing their lives
• What are some of the distractions in your life you feel are keeping you more focused on temporary life rather than on eternal life?
7. Only turn to God when they are in a bind
8. Give whenever it doesn’t hinder their standard of living
9. Are not much different from the rest of the world
10. Want the benefits of what Christ did without conforming to who He is

• In looking at this list of characteristics, are there any you can identify with? Why or why not?

You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But
you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked…
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:17, 20 (NIV)

• What are some specific things you can start doing today that will help deepen your passion for Christ?

Final thought:
With your group and during your personal prayer time this week pray God will instill a deeper fire and passion for Him in your life.

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THOUGHT: Practical Atheist 01 Followup

Objective:
To develop our fear and awe of God so we will be able to serve Him wholeheartedly.
• Describe one of your biggest fears in life. How has that fear shaped your life and your actions?
• In what ways, can fear sometimes be a good thing in our lives?

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers
of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their
parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control,
brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its
power…

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV)

• A practical atheist is someone who believes in God but lives as if He does not exist. In what area of your life are you a practical atheist? Give specific examples.
• Do you see any of the qualities mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 in your own daily life?

Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God to restrain them. In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are.
Psalms 36:1-2 (NLT)

If you love me, you will obey what I command.
John 14:15 (NIV)

• The greatest evidence of the fear of God is obedience to God. What are some specific areas in your life where you struggle with obedience to God’s direction? How would a fear and awe of God make it easier to follow Him in these areas?

Final thought:
As a group and individually pray this week for God to instill a desire in you to serve Him wholeheartedly without any conditions.

For Further Study
To use this resource, simply select one or two questions from each category below that you think will help your group discussion. Alternatively, you can use these questions and Scriptures in your own personal devotions during the week.

Open
During your childhood or teenage years, describe the most disobedient thing you ever
did? How did your parents react?

Explore
Read Ecclesiastes 12: 9-14. Solomon concludes the book of Ecclesiastes in this passage by saving his most important piece of wisdom for his final thought. (12:13-14)
How did Solomon conclude this book? (12:9-14)
What did the Teacher do with his knowledge? (12:9)
For what did the Teacher search? (12:10)
How did Solomon describe what the Teacher wrote? (12:10)
How did Solomon describe the words of the wise? (12:11)
What did Solomon say about books and study? (12:12)
What is a person’s whole duty? (12:13)
Why did Solomon tell his reader to fear God and keep His commandments? (12:14)

Reflect
With what mood would you say Solomon concluded this book?
What is the relationship between fearing God and keeping his commandments?
How we can benefit from the wisdom of other Christians?
In what ways can you be a teacher or adviser to at least one other Christian?

Apply
What specific areas of your life are you struggling to obey God’s commandments?
Who do you need to seek out for the wisdom they could provide in helping you with your
areas of struggle?

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hmmm...quote...good

If you lose money you lose much, If you lose friends you lose more, If you lose faith you lose all.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

The "Opportunity"

Monday morning I walked Merlin to school, as I do basically everyday. This day I was carrying Finnley in a backpack. I got to the bottom of the driveway when Merlin started asking me a question while trying to hold my hand. I was distracted. I didn't see the ice. My legs went out from under me and down I went. I twisted to keep the backpack from hurling Finnley out. Even still I could sense his being jolted forward. I didn't hurt the left knee that hit the ground and I thought we just had a mildly frightening, embarrasing moment. Silly daddy, pay more attention to what you are doing.
There was just a slight twinge in my back. It was present for the day and grew mildly. For awhile. By about 7 o'clock I was lying on the floor. I stayed there for the night in the living room when I was not having a hot bath.
Long story longer: I'm still lying on my back. Hopefully I will loosen and rest it today. So, yeah, today I think my office will be the floor. Never noticed the ceiling like I have recently. Guess I am turning my eyes heavenward (at least in some medievil worldview). Perhaps I will have another encounter with God? At least I can't run away.

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QUOTE: What should leadership look like?

Ever since uncertainty became our insistent twenty-first century companion, leadership strategies have taken a great leap backward to the familiar territory of command and control. . . . How is it that we failed to learn that whenever we try to impose control on people and situations, we only serve to make them uncontrollable? All of life resists control. All of life reacts to any process that inhibits its freedom to create itself. When we deny life’s need to create, life pushes back. We label it resistance and invent strategies to overcome it. But we would do far better if we changed the story and learned how to invoke the resident creativity of those in our organizations. We need to work with these insistent creative forces or they will be provoked to work against us.

– Margaret Wheatley

FEARLESS 05: David & Goliath Follow Up

Start by listening to the podcast, then get some people together and talk through these conversation starters.

BREAKING THE ICE:
• If you had a ringside seat at the David and Goliath fight, would you have put your money on Goliath because of his size, strength and confidence or on David because of his faith in God?
• Who is a modern day David in your eyes? Why?

CONNECTING:
1. What is your Goliath?
What is there in your life that seems too big to defeat?
Share what you fear most about your giant.
What methods have you tried in the past to defeat this giant?
Why was David so confident he could defeat Goliath?

2. Don’t look at the giant. Look at God.
What did David believe about God that empowered him to take on Goliath?
What do you most need to remember about God when facing your giant?
Describe your giant and then describe your God.
Which one do you think about the most?
How would focusing more on your God change the way you view your giant?

3. Don’t listen to naysayers.
How do you feel when someone casts doubt on your ability to do something?
Do others have more confidence or less in you than you do in yourself?
What do the naysayers in your life say about you? (Encourage one another with the truth of what God says.)
Which do you need to work on more: overcoming the negative opinions of others, building self-confidence or increasing your confidence in God? Explain.
What do we need to do with the negative input we receive from naysayers?

4. Use what you’ve got.
Share how God has come through for you in the past.
What past victories has God already given you?
What spiritual weapons has God given us to defeat our personal giants? (see Ephesians 6:13-18) David was good with a slingshot. What unique abilities has God given you to help you take down giants?
Which is more powerful, God’s spiritual weapons or our physical abilities or talents?

5. The Victory!
What do you think was driving David’s determination to fight Goliath? (1 Samuel 17:45-46) Why is having the proper motivation important in winning spiritual victories?
What is your primary motivation in wanting to defeat your Goliath?
What should be our motivation?

TAKE IT HOME:
1. Identify and write a description of your Goliath.
Now, describe your God. How is God bigger and more powerful than your giant?
Practice boasting in your God this week. By faith, declare how awesome and powerful your God is.
My giant may be _____ but my God is _________.

2. Honestly face your fears regarding your personal giant.
What’s the worst that could happen if you turned and faced your giant?
Now imagine God coming through for you. What would this look like?
Personalize and pray Ephesians 1:18-20 regularly.
Seek prayer support from your Life Support Group.

3. Learn to recognize the taunting voice of the enemy coming through your thoughts and through others.
What lies is he telling you?
Take these thoughts captive and replace them with God’s Truth. (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

4. Like David, write out your own declaration of victory (see 1 Samuel 17:45-46).
Be bold. God has already given us the victory in Christ. (Romans 8:37)
Speak daily this declaration out loud until your giant falls dead to the ground.
Share with your Life Support Group how they can stand with you until the victory is won.

DISCOVERY QUESTIONS:
Read about David defeating Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.
• David had already been chosen and anointed as the next King by the prophet Samuel. (see 1 Samuel 16:6-13) How might this have affected David’s response to the Goliath problem?
What promises and power has God given believers that assures us of victory over the enemy?

• What does Goliath’s armour and weapons reveal about him (vv.4-7)
As an Israelite, how would you have viewed Goliath’s proposal? (vv.8-10)
Why were the Israelites helpless against Goliath? (v.24)

• How did David persuade Saul to let him fight Goliath? (vv.32-37)?
Compare the “kingly” attitudes and behaviour of David and Saul. What do you see?
Where does David find the confidence to fight Goliath?
How did his courage and victory bless the whole nation?
How would your victory over your giant glorify God and bless others?

• What do you think was behind Eliab’s anger at David? (v.28)
Who are the naysayers in your life?
How can you keep from taking their negative opinions and judgments personally?
What does the Lord tell us about judging others? (see Matthew 7:1-5)
Why are we so prone to view family members negatively?
Whose judgment or opinion do you depend on most?

• What do you think motivated David to fight Goliath?
Why do you think he was victorious? (vv.23,25-27,34-37,45-47)
By faith, David believed God would make him victorious (vv.46-47).
What doubts do you have that God will do the same for you?
How will you combat these doubts? (see Romans 10:17)

VERSES FOR FURTHER STUDY:
1 Samuel 16,1-13; 2 Chronicles 20:17; Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 3:5-6,10:3-5;
Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 John 4:4

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