Bible Studies This Week at Starbuck's Polo Parkway

Tuesday - Directionally Challenged
Friday - 1 Samuel - Lesson 16 - Review - Part 1
Reading for this week: REVIEW THE ENTIRE BOOK

1. What is the most exciting thing you have learned about God in your study of 1 Samuel?
2. What is the relationship between obedience and victory in 1 Samuel? Does this principle operate in the lives of Christians?
3. In 16:7, God says "Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart." How are we guilty of judging others based on their external appearance?
4. Which of the minor characters in 1 Samuel seems most significant to you as a positive or negative example?
5. What has your study of 1 Samuel taught you about studying large portions of Scripture versus concentrating on short passages or familiar verses?
6. What aspect of God's character most challenged you in your study of 1 Samuel? What there anything about the portrayal of the Lord that troubled you?

Save the Date - Friday December 7th - All Hands Meeting

Guys, just a note that we are going to conclude our 1 Samuel and Directionally Challenged studies with another Men's All Hands Breakfast at Bob Evans. Put it on your calendar - a 6:30am start on Friday December 7th. Hope you can make it.

Bible Studies this Week - November 04, 2007

Tuesday - Directionally Challenged

Friday - 1 Samuel - Lesson 15 - Victory and Death

Bible Reading for this week: 1 Samuel 30:1 - 31:13

1. David is brought to the brink of despair when the Amalekites captured Ziklag - have you ever had a personal experience that brought you to the brink of despair? How did you respond?
2. How was David able to keep going and overcome this crisis?
3. What contrasts do these final two chapters of 1 Samuel present? What do you think God and the author of 1Samuel intend to emphasize with these contracts?
4. What were the consequences of Saul's reign for Israel?
5. Don't forget to bring your verse of the week to share?

Bible Studies this Week - October 28, 2007

Tuesday - Directionally Challenged
Friday - 1 Samuel - Lesson 14 - The Philistines Friend and Foe
Bible Reading for this week: 1 Samuel 27:1 - 29:11

Discussion Questions

1. Do you think David's move into Philistine territory reflect a lack of faith in the Lord? Why or why not?
2. Does God graciously intervene in the lives of Christians as he did in David's life to prevent him from sinning? See 25:18-31 and 29:6-11. Have you experienced this?
3. Saul sought the Lord's will too late, after disobeying it too often when he knew it. How do we measure up - is our obedience immediate or delayed, complete or partial?
4. How should a Christian inquire of the Lord? What methods are permitted and forbidden? What is your experience?
5. Don't forget your verse of the week.
   

Bible Studies this Week

Tuesday - Directionally Challenged

Friday - 1 Samuel
Bible Reading for this week: 1 Samuel 25:1 - 26:25

Discussion Questions

1. Think about a time in the last week when you have had a choice whether to forgive or get even. What did you do?
2. Do you think forgiveness and refusal to retaliate did not come naturally to David? How do you respond when you are in similar situations?
3. Is the Lord opposed to revenge against those over you, or to revenge in general ? What is the evidence in 1 Samuel 25?
4. Review Matthew 6:12-15, Matthew 18:15-18, Eph 4:32, Col 3:13 - What example and incentives do we have to forgive others that is even greater than David had?
5. Review 1 Samuel 25:26-34, what can we learn from Abigail's actions and David's response?
6. Don't forget to bring your verse of the week.

Bible Studies this Week

1 Samuel
Bible Reading for this week: 1 Samuel 23 - 24:22
Lesson 12, page 127

Discussion Questions

1. What role did God's promises play in David's life at this time (23:15-18 , 25:28-31)? How do God's promises affect your experience, attitudes and decisions?
2. What is the point about the story of David and Keilah (23:1-6)? What does it say about David and God?
3. Why do you think God wanted David to experience such difficulties? Does he have the same purpose for problems in Christians' lives? Explain.
4. How have you fallen short either in trusting God to take care of you or in respecting people because the Lord put them over you?
5. Share your verse of the week.

Directionally Challenged (Tues) & 1 Samuel (Fri)

The DC Group will continue with Chapter assignments this week.

1 Samuel
Bible Reading for this week: 1 Samuel 21:1 - 22:23
Lesson 11, page 117

Optional - Review Principles 2 & 3 in the Study Skills Section of page 44-45 of the Study Guide

Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever been in a situation where you have misrepresented the truth? What purpose were you trying to achieve? What actually resulted?
2. What do you think about David's behavior in the following situations, was he right or wrong to lie? Why? (1) With Ahimelech 21:1-9 , (2) At Gath 21:10-14
3. What insight does Jesus' reference to David in Matt 12:1-8 provide to us in considering David's behavior?
4. What motivated Saul's treatment of Ahimelech? What is ironic about his treatment of the Priest? What does this situation tell us about God's sovereignty?
5. Don't forget to pick your verse of the week to share with the group.

Directionally Challenged (Tues) and 1 Samuel (Fri)

The DC Group will read Chapters 1 and 2 in the book this week.

1 Samuel
Bible Reading for this week: 1 Samuel 18-20
Lesson 10, page 107

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think David learned through the difficulties Saul's opposition made him suffer? What spiritual lessons are there to be learned from Saul's enmity toward David?
2. What important principals of friendship does Jonathan exemplify? See 18:1-4, 19:1-7 and 20:1-42.
3. What is the greatest act of friendship you have been shown? Who performed that act, what was the context?
4. What are the top three barriers that men face in developing genuine intimacy? What can we do to prevail over these inhibitors?
5. Don't forget to pick your verse of the week and why.

This Week - Directionally Challenged (Tues), 1 Samuel (Fri)

The Directionally Challenged Group kicks off this Tuesday. There is no formal assignment for this week.

1 Samuel
Bible Reading for this Week: 1 Samuel 16-17

Lesson 9 - Title: A Man After God's Own Heart

1. Compare how Saul was introduced (1 Samuel 9:3-6) versus how David was introduced (1 Samuel 16:11), what is important about this comparison?
2. In the case of Saul's evil spirit, how did the Lord bring ultimate good out of this affliction? In what sense are the evils you experience sent by the Lord, and in what sense is He not responsible for your afflictions? (For this question Read the Study Skill on page 100 of the Study Guide)
3. How is your heart different from your outward appearance? In your experience, have you misjudged someone based on there appearance?
4. How has the Phillistines' attitude toward Israel and its God changed since 4:7-9?
5. Choose a "verse of the week" to share with the group.

Week 8 - Gospel of John (Tues), 1 Samuel (Fri)

Gospel of John
Reading Assignment
John 16-20
Read the chapters and (1) identify what you agree or disagree with, (2) how we can apply these scriptures to our lives and (3) identify any verses they are having a hard time understanding.

Next Week - The Tuesday group will be moving to the Directionally Challenged study

1 Samuel
Bible Reading for this Week: 1 Samuel 15:1-25
Lesson 8 - Title: The Second Disobedience

1. Why did the Lord insist on total destruction and what Saul's real reason for disobedience?
2. Is it possible to obey the spirit of the law without obeying the letter of the law? Consider 15:1-29 and your own experience.
3. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the quality of your obedience? The quality of your religious activity?
4. What clear command has God given you that you should be obeying this week?
5. Fear twice moved Saul to disobey God (1 Sam 13:11-12 and 15:24), Has fear led you to disobey recently? Is it tempting you to do so now? How can we overcome the fear that leads us away from trusting in God?
6. Don't forget to select one verse this week that impacted you above the rest.

Week 7 - Gospel of John (Tues), 1 Samuel (Fri)

Gospel of John
Bible Reading for this Week: John Chapters 16-18
Read the chapters and (1) identify what you agree or disagree with, (2) how we can apply these scriptures to our lives and (3) identify any verses they are having a hard time understanding.

1 Samuel
Bible Reading for this Week: 1 Samuel 13 - 14
Lesson 7 - Title: First Disobedience

1. Why was it so important that the king obey what the prophet said the Lord had commanded? See: Deut 12:13-14, 17:18-20, 18:15-19
2. How would you describe in your own words the relationship God wanted with His people?
3. Have you ever turned a mission from the Lord into a personal crusade that overran others' needs and common sense? Has you pride ever interfered with His mission?
4. What reason did the troops give to keep Saul from afflicting Jonathan with the consequences of his curse? Do you think this was valid? Why or why not?
5. Share the verse of the week that impacted you the most.

Week 6 - Gosepl of John (Tues), 1 Samuel Study (Fri)

Gospel of John
Bible Reading for this Week: John Chapters 13-15
Read the chapters and (1) identify what you agree or disagree with, (2) how we can apply these scriptures to our lives and (3) identify any verses they are having a hard time understanding.

1 Samuel
Bible Reading for this Week: 1 Samuel 11-12
Lesson 6 - Title: Victory & Warning

1. How should a king under the covenant differ from a pagan king?
2. What convinced the Israelites that Saul was worthy to be their king? What qualities today do we look for in the leaders we respect and follow?
3. In what ways do we see evidence of the Spirit of God in our leaders today?
4. Why do you feel the prophet/seer's still played an important part in the leadership of Israel? How can that be compared to practices in modern Christianity?
5. What emphases in Chapter 12:1-25 are still relevant to Christian's today?
6. Don't forget to select one verse this week that impacted you above the rest.
   

Week 5 - Gosepl of John (Tues), 1 Samuel Study (Fri)

Gospel of John
Bible Reading for this Week: John Chapters 10-12

• Read the chapters and (1) identify what you agree or disagree with, (2) how we can apply these scriptures to our lives and (3) identify any verses they are having a hard time understanding.

1 Samuel
Bible Reading for this Week: 1 Samuel 8:1 - 10:27
Lesson 5 - Title: Give Us a King!

1. Instead of demanding a king, what request could Israel have made that would have pleased the Lord?
2. How can 1 Samuel 8 help us understand when desires are legitamate in themselves may become harmful and wrong?
3. Does God reveal and confirm His will today in the same ways that He did it in Samuel's day? How does He reveal and confirm His will today? What evidence can you cite?
4. To what extent do the first 8 chapters of 1 Samuel reflect progress in Israel's history and to what extent do they show repetition?
5. Don't forget to select one verse this week that impacted you above the rest.

What is the Ark of the Covenant?

For some additional reading on the Ark of the Convenant, see the links below.

http://www.bibles.com/absport/news/item.php?id=113

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/ark.html

1 Samuel Study - Week 4

Bible Reading for this Week: 1 Samuel 5 - 7
Lesson 4 Title: The Lord Against the Philistines

1. Both the Philistines and the Israelites thought the ark was a potent symbol of God's presence and a sort of lucky charm. To what extent were they right, and to what extent were they wrong?
2. Is there anything in the NT or the experience of the Church that is lethal in its effects if not treated with reverence? Explain. (Consider Acts 5:1-11 and 1 Corinthians 11:27-30) - see www.biblegateway.com)
3. How did God convince Israel to accept and appreciate Samuel's leadership?
4. How can we turn to the Lord with all our hearts? What practical steps, including but not limited to prayer, will this require?
5. How would you summarize Chapters 1-7? What heading would you give this section?
6. Don't forget to select one verse in this week's reading that impacted you - if you cannot make the meeting this week - post a comment below with your verse and any comments you want to share.
   

1 Samuel Study - Week 3

Bible Reading for this week: 1 Samuel 3:1 - 4:22

Questions for this week:

• To "know" someone in Hebrew signified intimate, direct relationship. In what sense did Samuel "know" the Lord after his call in a way he didn't before it? (3:7)
• How can we show ourselves to be as ready as Samuel was to receive God's word?
• In the Christian life, does unfaithfulness to God always, sometimes or never lead to visible problems? What is your experience?
• The birth of a child is normally a joyous occasion. How do the births of Samuel and of Eli's grandson compare in this respect and why?
• What one truth from this reading would you like to take to heart and apply?
• Don't forget to pick your verse of the week

1 Samuel Study - Week 2

Bible Reading for this Week: 1 Samuel 1:1 - 2:36

Lesson 2
Title: New Birth, New Beginning

Questions to focus on for this week:

1. Whom do you think the author wished to emphasize as the most important individual in this week's reading. How does he underscore this person's significance.
2. What might be the significance of how 1 Samuel begins with a look at two contrasting families? What point might the author be making about families and Israel's crisis?
3. What can the cases of Hannah's and Eli's sons teach us about a parent's responsibility for spiritual growth of children? How might modern parent's avoid Eli's rebuke?
4. God's judgement of Eli's family cancelled a promise he had made previously (2:30). How is the fulfillment of God's promises related to man's performance.
5. Don't forget to select one verse in this week's reading that impacted you - if you cannot make the meeting this week - post a comment below with your verse and any comments you want to share.

Making Promises (Vows)

As we move to Lesson 2 and return to Chapters 1 and 2 of 1 Samuel, it might be helpful to have some background on biblical vows. See the hyperlink below for some info from the American Bible Society.

http://www.bibles.com/brcpages/MakingPromisesVows

1 Samuel Study - Week 1

We will tackle Lesson 1 this week in the Friday 1 Samuel Study. For those of you who do not have the book, the assignment is to read the entire book of 1 Samuel (that's read, not study) in four sittings. The study guide suggests Chapters 1-7, 8-15, 16-20, 21-31. This about the following questions for thought and discussion:

• Are there any elements in the book that you have difficulty understanding or accepting? What are they and why?
• How is the type of history you find in 1 Samuel different from what you find in modern history books?
• What would you say as a whole, 1 Samuel is all about? What are the major themes and what is the main message the author wishes to convey?
• Based on this first reading, were there any truths that are relevant in your life?

Principles for Interpreting Narratives

For those studying 1 Samuel, the following principles are reproduced from "How to read the Bible for all it is worth" by Gordon Fee

1. An Old Testament narrative usually does not directly teach a doctrine.
2. An Old Testament narrative usually illustrates a doctrine or doctrines taught propositionally elsewhere.
3. Narratives record what happened – not necessarily what should have happened or what ought to happen every time. Therefore, not every narrative has an individual identifiable moral of the story.
4. What people do in narratives is not necessarily a good example for us. Frequently, it is just the opposite.
5. Most of the characters in OT narratives are far from perfect and their actions are, too.
6. We are not always told at the end of a narrative whether what happened was good or bad. We are expected to be able to judge that on the basis of what God has taught us directly and categorically elsewhere in Scripture
7. All narratives are selective and incomplete. Not all the relevant details are always given. What does appear in the narrative is everything that the inspired author thought important for us to know.
8. Narratives are not written to answer all our theological questions. They have particular, specific limited purposes and deal with certain issues, leaving others to be dealt with elsewhere, in other ways.
9. Narratives may teach either explicitly (by clearly stating something) or implicitly (by clearly implying something without actually stating it).
10. In the final analysis, God is the hero of all biblical narratives.

Bible Studies Forming this Week

The Tuesday group will meet at 7am and study the Gospel of John. Thanks to John Sawyer for leading this group. The Friday group will meet at 6:30am and study 1 Samuel. Study guides will be available this week for purchase. I believe in both cases they are less than $10. No specific assignment this week, just be praying about what God will do through the study and review perhaps the introduction pages to the books (if you have a study bible), so you can understand more about the context and authorship.

JRC Men's Breakfast

The JRC Men's Breakfast is Friday, July 19th at Bob's Evans. Please join us to celebrate the completion of our Search for Significance study and the start of our new studies of the Gospel of John and 1 Samuel. I look forward to seeing you all there.

Paul

Week 13 – July 8th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read the last chapter - Chapter 13 – “The Trip In” If you have extra time, complete Step 13 in the Workbook. This week’s step is particularly impactful and you could probably spend the next couple weeks on it. Key points in this Chapter include:

• For you to correct your thought process is hopeless unless you cooperate with God to release His power in your mind. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
• To renew your mind, you must: (1) agree with God that we have been deceived, (2) agree with God that we have been believing a lie and we need to repent for doing so, (3) allow God to show us how destructive this lie has been in our lives.
• It is common to believe that situations cause emotions, the fact is that we perceive situations through the grid of our beliefs.
• The first step to freedom is recognizing that life is distorted by our expectations of what we are going to experience.
• Often God allows us to undergo troubling circumstances so that we can see what is inside of us (e.g. the tube of toothpaste).
• It is important to identify, confess, reject and then replace the false beliefs in your life.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• What does it mean to you to renew your mind? Has bringing to light the false beliefs in this book heightened your awareness of the need to renew your thinking?
• Do you have trouble understanding how you feel inside or why you feel a certain way? Sharing those feelings with others? Your spouse?
• The author contrasts the thought that “situations cause emotions” with the concept that we perceive situations through the grid of our beliefs. Do you agree with that statement? If yes, how should it affect the way your respond in difficult situations?
• How do you feel your expectations of what you are going to experience in a situation influence your responses?
• The author provides a visual example of a tube of toothpaste in parallel to the statement that God allows us to undergo troubling circumstances so that we can see what is inside of us. How have you seen that play out in your life?
• Let’s discuss any victories over these false beliefs we have had since the beginning of this study?

Week 12 – July 1st Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 12 – “Guilt versus Conviction” If you have extra time, complete Step 12 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• Romans 8:1 tell us “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Despite this, we often feel we deserve condemnation and we fail to realize that Christ has freed us from the guilt and condemnation our sins deserve.
• Guilt is a strong motivator, but it plays on our fears of failure and rejection; therefore it can never ultimately build, encourage or inspire us in our desire to live for Christ.
• Guilt brings depression and despair, but conviction enables us to realize the beauty of God’s forgiveness and to experience His love and power.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• What is the different between guilt and conviction?
• Can you think of an example where the Holy Spirit convicted you of sin in your life? How did you become aware of it? What was the process for repentance?
• What emotions do you most associate with guilt? How does that affect you personally?
• How can we bring hope to those who are enslaved by guilt and hopelessness?

Week 11 – June 24th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 11 – “Agent of Change” If you have extra time, complete Step 11 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• Three reasons for our lack of fruitfulness laid out in the Parable of the Sower are: Satan’s taking away the Word of God, persecution and the worries of the world. For most of us, worries of the world are the primary culprit for our lack of growth.
• To overcome the lies and begin to enjoy freedom from false beliefs, we need to have a clear understanding of what Christ has done for us through his death on the cross. The more fully we understand the implications of Christ’s sacrifice, the more we will experience the freedom, motivation and power God intends for us.
• The Christian life is a supernatural one in which we draw on Christ as our resource for direction, encouragement and strength.
• There are at least five obstacles that stem from a misunderstanding of Christ’s love and forgiveness, and often prevent us from experiencing his presence and power: We have wrong motives, Our approach to Christian life is too mechanical or regimented, We are too mystical, We lack knowledge about the availability of Christ’s love and power, We are harboring sin that blocks our fellowship with Christ.
• It is important to understand that fruitfulness and growth are the results of focusing on Christ and desiring to Honor him.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• Let’s discuss the parable of the sower – think of yourself or people who you have met/encountered that fit into each of the three categories: Fertility of the soil / Satan’s taking away the Word of God, The Climate / Persecutions, Presence of weeds / Worries of the World
• This chapter involves a review of the 4 False Beliefs, which one do you feel is most prominent in your life and why?
• How “supernatural” is your walk with Christ? How can we be more cognizant of the battles that go on in the spiritual realm?
• Which of the 5 obstacles presented by the author did you identify most with? What are 1 or 2 tangible things you can do to increase you understanding of God’s promises as it relates to those areas?
• How has this chapter helped you to better understand your motives for doing the things you do?
  

Week 10 – June 17th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 10 – “God’s Answer: Regeneration.” If you have extra time, complete Step 10 in the Workbook (at the back of the book). Key points in this Chapter include:

• To overcome shame you must accept how completely God desires to make changes in your life that will free you from your past.
• Regeneration is nothing less than the impartation of new life.
• We will continue to stumble and fall at times, but the Scriptures clearly instruct us to choose to act in ways that reflect our new lives and values in Christ.
• ‘For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.’ (Rom 5:17)
• ‘And in Him you have been made complete, and he is the head over all rule and authority’ (Col 2:10)
• Summary of the 4 Great doctrines: Because of justification, you are completely forgiven and fully pleasing to God. You know longer have to fear failure. Because of reconciliation, you are totally accepted by God. You know longer have to fear rejection. Because of propitiation, you are deeply loved by God. You no longer have to fear punishment; nor do you have to punish others. Because of regeneration, you have been made brand-new, complete in Christ. You no longer need to experience the pain of shame

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• What does it mean for you to have become a “new creation” in Christ? (2 Cor 5:17)
• Review Eph 4:22-24 ( 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.) – What is the difference between being made new in the attitude of your mind and to put on the new self versus the steady stream of “self-improvement” plans fed to us in the secular world?
• Have you struggled with changing the way you view yourself since becoming a Christian? Have you been successful in changing your “personal outlook?”
• The author asserts that the greatest obstacle to experiencing regeneration is that we don’t look different and sometimes we don’t act much different. – Essentially we only believe what we see. Do you agree? What other obstacles prevent you from accepting this truth in your life?
• How can we communicate the hope found in our regeneration to others? What example does Jesus’ treatment of Zaccheus hold for us?

Week 9 – June 10th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 9 – “Shame.” If you have extra time, complete Step 9 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• When we base our self-worth on past failures, dissatisfaction with personal appearance, or bad habits, we develop a false belief: I am what I am, I cannot change, I am hopeless.
• To often our self-image rests solely on an evaluation of our past behavior, being measured only through a memory. Day after day, year after year, we tend to build our personalities upon the rubble of yesterday’s personal disappointments.
• Shame often engulfs us when a flaw in our performance is so important, so overpowering, or so disappointing to us that it creates a permanent negative opinion about our self-worth.
• Problems associated with shame include: Inferiority, Destructive Behavior, Self-Pity, Passivity, Isolation and Withdrawal, Loss of Creativity and Codependent Relationships.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• How do you define Shame?
• Has there ever been a time in your life where you have felt feelings of shame or inadequacy? How did it affect your thinking?
• How has your attitude about yourself changed on the account of your relationship with Christ?
• Take the Shame Test – Did you learn anything? Which questions did you score the lowest on?
• Do you experience or have you experienced any of the effects of shame as outlined in the book?
• Take the Men’s Survey Below:

Men's Survey (Select one answer)

What relationship could you use the most help with? Wife, Boss, Child, In-Law, God

What hero did you most identify with when you were a boy? Batman, Spiderman, Gumby, Kermit, Mr. Rogers

What is the hardest thing for you to say? I need your help, I was wrong, I am tempted, I am not doing good today, It’s my fault

If you could have more of a certain character quality which would you pick? Humility, Compassion, Honesty, Selfless, Content

What is the hardest thing for you to resist? Sexual thoughts, Cutting words, New email/more work, Giving your opinion, Not speeding

What issues create the most concern/fear in your wife (if married)? Financial security, Marriage ending, Wasting influence, Finishing Strong, Disappointing God

What category best describes your relationship with your father? High talk – High time – High touch, Low talk – Low time – Low touch, No talk – No time – No touch

Week 8 – June 2nd Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 8 – “God’s Answer: Propitiation” If you have extra time, complete Step 8 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• Propitiation means that the wrath of someone who has been unjustly wronged has been satisfied.
• But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
• Because we are His children and because of His sacrifice, performance is no longer the basis of our worth.
• Potential obstacles to receiving the Truth of God’s Answer are: Poor Patterns of Motivation and Holding on to Unforgiveness.
• If we hold on to unforgiveness, we cannot accept our own forgiveness.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• In what way can the growth of our knowledge of propitiation change the way we view others? Ourselves?
• The author mentions poor patterns of motivation as an obstacle to receiving the truth. How have you been motivated/what patterns of motivations have you seen throughout your life? If you are honest with yourself, how do you motivate yourself now?
• The author provides several reasons why we hold on to unforgiveness – which can you most identify with? Do you agree that if we hold onto unforgiveness, we cannot accept our own forgiveness? How have you overcome the times in your life when this has been an issue?
• Are there any sins (or even personality differences) in others that you have difficulty forgiving?
• How do you respond to sin in your lives? How do we come to respond in the way God intends?
• List 10 things for which you are glad God in Christ has forgiven you. This will prime you to be willing to forgive all other offenders.

Week 7 – May 27th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 7 – “The Blame Game.” If you have extra time, complete Step 7 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• The belief that performance reflects one’s value leads to the conviction that those who fail are unworthy of love and deserve to be punished.
• For every flaw we see around us, we usually search for someone to blame, hoping to exonerate ourselves by making sure that the one who failed is properly identified.
• In fact, the higher the position of the one who failed (parent, boss, pastor, etc) and the further they fall, the better we feel.
• Christians should not be blind to the faults or failures of others. We will continue to see them, but our response to them will change considerably over time, from condemnation to compassion.
• All of us fail, but this does not mean that we are failures. We need to understand that failing can be a step toward maturity, not a permanent blot on our self-esteem.
• The blame game leaves us feeling all alone without experiencing the faith we need to live without fear…the more you give yourself to fear, the more difficult it is to experience faith in your life.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• Do you have the tendency to “assign the blame” when something goes wrong or find satisfaction in properly identifying the “source” of the problem? Would you say you have more of a tendency to blame others or yourself?
• In responding to failure – on a scale of 0 – 10 with 0 being condemnation and 10 being compassion, what would be your average score? Why do you feel that way? Does it depend on who the person is?
• The author contends that there is a process for learning how to express our feelings appropriately? How has this played out in your life? How has your relationship with Christ empowered you in this area?
• The Bible provides many examples of people who failed – Moses was a murderer, David an adulterer, Peter a liar – what impact should this have on us and how we treat those who fail?
• Do you really deserve to feel good about yourself? Why or why not?
• Take the fear of punishment test – how did you score and what did you learn about yourself as you answered the questions?

Week 6 – May 20th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 6 - "God’s Answer: Reconciliation.” If you have extra time, complete Step 6 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• Reconciliation explains the relational aspect of our salvation.
• Because of reconciliation, we are completely acceptable to and by God…we enjoy a full and complete relationship with Him, and in this relationship, His determination of our value is not based on our performance.
• If we based our self worth on the approval of others then we are actually saying that our ability to please others is of greater value than Christ’s payment (on the cross).
• The strength, comfort, encouragement and love of Christians toward one another are visible expressions of God’s love.
• God’s answer to the pain of rejection is reconciliation. Christ died for our sins and restored us to a proper relationship with God. We are acceptable to God and are accepted by Him. We are not rejected! We are His.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• What does it mean to you to be reconciled to God? Has there ever been a person in your life with which you were reconciled with after a falling out? What were the steps in that process?
• In what way has this study of reconciliation changed your understanding of God? What scriptures referenced in the chapter has the greatest impact on you?
• In Step 6 (in the workbook), it introduces the thought that we feel at times “partially righteous” – do you ever fall victim to this flawed thinking? What stands in your way of living convinced that you are loved and fully accepted by God?
• The author introduces some guidelines for determining the health of a relationship? Do you agree with his points? Are you in or have you ever been in an unhealthy relationship? What impact did that relationship have on your relationship with God?
• Did the exercise on page 78 (my copy), in which you replaced the word Love with My Father in reading 1 Cor 13 have an impact on you? If God is Love, why do we often lose sight of his true character?

Week 5 – May 13th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 5 - "Approval Addict.”" If you have extra time, complete Step 5 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• Basing our self-worth on what we believe others think of us causes us to become addicted to their approval.
• We have a tendency to spend much of our time building relationships, striving to please people and win their respect. And yet, after all of our sincere, conscientious effort, it takes only one unappreciative word from someone to ruin our sense of self-worth.
• Turning to others for what only God can provide is a direct result of our acceptance of the lie: Self Worth = Performance + Other People’s Opinions.
• Gal 1:10 – For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I string to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ – We can ultimately seek either the approval of men or the approval of God as the basis of our self-worth.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• Are you adversely affected by anyone’s disrespect or disapproval?
• Has loneliness currently or ever been a major problem in your life?
• Take the Fear of Rejection Test, how did you do? Did this chapter heighten any awareness of this issue in your life?
• How have you used disapproval, silence, sarcasm or criticism to get others to do what you wanted them to do?
• How have you seen managers/leaders in your work life or in the public eye utilize rejection and guilt to manipulate people? How does this contrast with the "Lead Like Jesus" model we studied last book?
• Did you experience rejection in any way in your family life? Are you aware of any tendencies you have in responded to rejection? (e.g. sarcasm, anger, bitterness, etc)
• The book describes a common way of coping with the fear of rejection as avoiding others, or those who hide behind a wall of words, smiles and activities. How can we as Christians demonstrate a willingness to know others more deeply to break down these barriers?

Week 4 – May 6th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 4 - "God’s Answer: Justification.”" If you have extra time, complete Step 4 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• Satan has a formula that he wants us all to believe – Self Worth = Performance + Other People’s Opinions. This formula is designed to enslave us in the performance trap.
• As the result of Christ’s death on the cross, our sins are forgiven and God has imputed Christ’s righteousness to us. Therefore we are fully pleasing to God, despite our performance and what other people think.
• Obstacles to understanding this truth include: Addiction to approval, Sense of Hopelessness, Wanting to live life by a formula, and the Need to be in Control.
  Justification means more than being forgiven.
• God not only forgives our sinfulness, but he also provides for our righteousness. Righteousness is the worthiness to stand in God’s presence without fear of personal condemnation because he has imputed the very righteousness of Christ to us.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• Do you have difficulty thinking of yourself as pleasing to God?
• Are there times in your life where you have struggled with issues of control, frustrated that you must trust God in a way that is new or especially difficult?
• The author contends that our natural strengths will always fight against our dependence on God. Do you agree with that? p47 (mine)
• Do you ever struggle with remembering sins that God has forgotten? What is there impact on you? Is there any benefit to remembering past sins?
• Can you think of a situation in your life where you might have responded differently had you fully grasped the meaning of justification? How would it have changed things?
• How can we impart God’s love in a way to help those around us who struggle with the Performance Trap?

Week 3 - April 29th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 3 - "The Performance Trap." If you have extra time, complete Step 3 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• We all tend to believe to some degree that "success" will bring fulfillment and happiness. This leads to the Performance Trap, which has us accepting the false belief that I must meet certain standards to feel good about myself.
• Those who fall into the Performance Trap who have a tendency to base their self-worth on their ability to accomplish a goal, or to be efficient/effective in their use of time.
• In addition, they avoid certain activities, relationships and risks because their fear of failure is too great. The fear of failure can manifest itself in a variety of responses including Perfectionism, Avoiding Risk, Anger/Resentment, Pride, Depression, Addiction to Success and others.
• The focus on the Christian life should be on Christ, not on self-imposed regulations. Our experience of Christ's lordship is dependent on our moment-by-moment attention to His instruction, not on our own regimented schedule.
  

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• Why do we sometimes tolerate failure in another person but cannot tolerate it in ourselves?
• How much different would your life be if it were not for the fear of failure?
• Are there any perfectionists out there? Do any of you occasionally base your self-worth on an ability to accomplish a goal or on the efficient/effective use of your time? Does your perfectionism ever suffocate your joy and creativity?
• Take the fear of failure test on page 34 (my copy), how did you score? What category did you end up in and which questions did you score lowest on?
• Does your fear of failure ever drive you toward anger or resentment toward someone else who may have hindered your success? Of the people you have anger toward, how many of those individuals are associated with some failure about which you feel bad?
• Has there been a time in your life where your identity was wrapped up in your success (or failure)?
  

Week 2 - April 22nd Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read Chapter 2 - "The Origins of the Search” If you have extra time, complete Step 2 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• There is a real spiritual battle over our understanding of God’s truth and offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, with man often choosing to trust in his success and the opinions of others to give him a sense of self-worth.
• Our attempts to meet our needs for success and approval fall into two broad categories: compulsiveness (controllers, perfectionists, manipulators) and withdrawal (avoid failure/disapproval by avoiding risk and vulnerability).
• When we base our security on success and others’ opinions, we become dependent on our abilities to perform and please others. We develop a “have-to” mentality. The “have-to” mentality is sheer slavery to performance and the opinions of others, but we are secure and free in Christ.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• When did you first grasp the truth that you have been saved by grace (unmerited favor}, through faith {trust} and not anything you did, but a gift of God?
• What truths on page 17 (my version) about who you are in Christ are most difficult for you to grasp (e.g. All your sins are forgiven, past, present and future, You became a child of God, etc)?
• What impact do you think that humanism (the teaching that man is above all else) and our society in general has on each of our abilities to be convinced that apart from God, this life has little meaning and purpose?
• The book discusses two broad categories for which our attempts to meet our needs for success and approval fall into: compulsiveness and withdrawal. Which have you seen most notably in your life?
• How do you react to the authors description of the “Have to” mentality – can you identify with that?
• What does it mean to you that God created you in his image? How does this affect your behavior?
  

Week 1 - April 15th Reading Assignment & Questions

Please read the Introduction and Chapter 1 - "The Light Comes On." If you have extra time, complete Step 1 in the Workbook. Key points in this Chapter include:

• Whether labeled self-esteem or self worth, the feeling of significance is crucial to man's emotional, spiritual and social stability and is the driving element within the human spirit.
• In some cases, God's light may have revealed our pain and wall of defenses, but it may not yet have penetrated to our deepest thoughts and beliefs about ourselves.
• The Lord desires truth and honesty at the deepest level and wants us to experience His love, forgiveness and power in all areas of our lives.

Questions that we will discuss this week at Tuesday at 7am and Friday at 6:30am include:

• What does the term significance mean to you, how would you define it?
• On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being a completely healthy sense of self worth, where would you land?
• When do you feel best about yourself (situations, relationships, etc), when do you feel worst?
• Whose opinion do you value the most?
• Do you feel like you are honest with God? Do you feel like he wants you to be honest with him? How do you convey your feelings to him?
• What do you think about the contrasting formulas - The World's Equation versus God's equation, why is it so difficult to view ourselves apart from our performance and what other's think about us?

Search for Significance is Here!

Welcome to the James River Campus Men's Ministry Blog. Here's how this interactive bible study is going to work:

1. Pick up a copy of The Search for Significance by Robert S McGee at the Small Groups Table or at a bookstore.

2. Beginning the week of April 15th, join us in the weekly readings as posted on this blog

3. Attend one of our weekly studies at Starbucks on Polo Pkwy - 7am Tuesdays, 6:30am Fridays

4. If you cannot make the meetings, look for the questions posted on the blog and share your thoughts. If you attend the meeting and want to comment about a question further, post a comment to the blog. I will also summarize our weekly discussions to the blog weekly for those who are out of town or cannot make a meeting.

5. I will serve as moderator, please keep you comment to the point, generic to preserve privacy (remember we ARE on the Internet), keeping God's Word as primary and learnings from the author secondary.

6. Let's have fun as we grow together in our relationship with each other and Christ.

JRC Men's Interactive Book Study Welcome

I am excited to think that we can grow our participation in the weekly Men's meetings by using the world wide web! While I know interactive fellowship is far from the real thing, I understand that it is difficult for some of you to make it to Starbuck's on Tuesday or Friday mornings because of work schedules. Allowing those folks to be reading the same material and participate in our conversations "interactively" and at a more convenient time, is the intent of this forum. Stay tuned for more information about our new study starting in April - "Search for Significance"