The Impediment

Though we may not consider this often, we are faced with "The Impediment" in our walk with God.  It is manifested in several ways and we'll be touching on a couple this week in our time together.

Here are the questions for this week's break out discussion:

• Samuel Johnson, the essayist and dictionary-maker of the eighteenth century, said: "Truth, sir, is a cow; which, when sceptics have found it will give them no more milk, they have gone off to milk the bull." What is this saying to you?
• Read John 18:28-40. Discuss what is happening here.
• Steve Turner wrote, "I believe that there is no absolute truth excepting the truth that there is no absolute truth." Is there such a thing as "absolute truth"? Explain your answer.
• In John 14:5-6, Jesus states, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." What are some different streams of thinking on this concept? What do you believe?
• How does what we believe effect the decisions we make?
• There is thinking out there on the topic "either/or" vs. "both/and" … for example, “Is God a blessing God or a judging God?” Is this thinking that you've been exposed to before? How do you see this working in your life? 

"God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another."

- Hamlet Act 3, scene 1

The Challenge

This week we'll be continuing forward with a look at "The Challenge" aspect of our study.  We will begin to understand our decision when faced with believing what God is saying versus what we see, touch, taste, hear, and smell which seems to be contradictory.

Here are the questions for this week's break out discussion:

• Read Psalm 37:3-7. What does it mean to you to "trust", "delight", "commit", and "be still"?
• In verse 4 the term "delight" is enlarged in the Amplified Bible as "desires and secret petitions of your heart". How does your thinking change in response to this?
• Earlier in our studies on this topic, we talked about Occam's Razor, which is attributed to the 14th-century English logician, theologian and Franciscan friar Father William of Ockham. Ockham stated: "No plurality [fact or majority] should be assumed unless it can be proved (a) by reason, or (b) by experience, or (c) by some infallible authority [for example: sacred scripture]." In Ockham's view, an explanation which does not harmonize with reason, experience or the aforementioned sources cannot be considered valid. Give an example out of scripture where "reason" or "experience" were over-ridden by the Word of God.
• Where, in your life, have you relied upon the Word of God even though it may have gone against "reason" or "experience"?
• Read James 1:5-8 in a variety of translations. What is this portion of the Bible saying?
• Though this reference opens in the context of asking for wisdom, is the principle limited to that topic? Explain your thinking.
• It has been written: "Divine revelation is something which is not created by our own efforts, by our putting together thoughts conceived of using understandings based on what we've known and experienced until now. Divine revelation comes at God's initiative, not ours." Describe a life situation where you saw, heard or felt something in a particular moment that no one else seemed to experience in the same way you did.

"Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done"
- Romeo And Juliet Act 2, scene 4, 67–73

The Proposal (Part 2)

We're going to continue on the same topic this week as we delve deeper into The Proposal.  God has so created things that He chooses to partner with us.  In this partnership, there are responsibilities that each party has.  We'll be building more on the Ephesians 3:20 concept introduced earlier.  Here is a picture of the concept.

Here are the questions we'll be using for our break out discussion:

• How does your life align to each of these two statements: "What do you believe?" and "Do what you believe."
• How do you respond when you experience people “doing what they believe” and it’s something you can’t align with? Why?
• Mark 11:24 (NLT) states: "I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours." Describe how this scripture falls in context of the Mark 11:12-26.
• 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NIV) talks about the concept of "[love] always trusts". What does this mean to you? How have you see this dynamic in your life?
• After reading James 2:19, how do you explain the difference between the intellectual acknowledgement of God and to believe God?
• Matthew 18:18-20 (NIV) talks, in part, about how two can agree on anything and ask for it, that it will be done. What are the conditions? Who are the parties? Do the conditions or “who” the two people are matter? Why?
• Talk about some "what if" examples where you've experienced this. Also, give some examples of where you are expectant of this happening.
• God's supply to you is partly described in Philippians 4:19. What does this mean to you in your daily living for Him?

"Whereof what's past is prologue; what to come, In yours and my discharge."
- The Tempest Act 2, scene 1, 245–254

The Proposal (Part 1)

This week as we journey further into our topic of "The Question!" of believe, we will be looking at God's proposal. Please take some time to consider the discussion questions below. Be prepared to share your thinking with others in the group.

• At various times from the late 1800's through the mid-1900's, the phrase "IN GOD WE TRUST" has appeared and disappeared from our US currency. Describe what you think this phrase meant to our nation then and what it means to you now. How is our nation's response different today from what you believe this phrase means?
• After reading Psalm 73:25-28 - especially, the last sentence - how has God become your shelter and what wonderful things or works has God done?
• If time, money, physical ability and any other necessary resource was available in unlimited amounts, describe what you would do.
• In Genesis 9:13-16 (NCV) it states "I am putting my rainbow in the clouds as the sign of the agreement between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and a rainbow appears in them, I will remember my agreement between me and you and every living thing. Floods will never again destroy all life on the earth. When the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and I will remember the agreement that continues forever between me and every living thing on the earth." Describe what this means to you and what you think of when you see a rainbow.
• In reading Romans 4:19-25 about Abraham, Sarah and their offspring, verse 21 (NLT) states "He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises." Based on what you know about Abraham and his actions, share something that might be similar in your life.
• In Woodie Guthrie's song God's Promise, there is a line: "All that I promise is strength for this day." How does this line up with what the Bible says that God promises? (Hint: see Psalm 138:3 and Matthew 6:34)
• When you consider what 1 Corinthians 10:13 says about God keeping His Word, how do you see the actual fulfillment of the promise working?
• According to Titus 1:2 (MSG) "… life without end. This is the life God promised long ago—and he doesn't break promises!", God doesn't break His promises. Briefly describe how you have been caused harm by another because of a broken promise. Have you kept all of your promises?
• How does 2 Corinthians 1:20 change your thinking on the concept of God's promises? How does it change the way respond to God's promises?
• God's supply to you is partly described in Philippians 4:19. What does this mean to you in your daily living for Him?
• It has been said that a person's promises reflect his or her character. Describe how this is true in your own life. How does this reflect God's character?

Blessings!!



"… O brave new world ..."
- The Tempest, Act 5, scene 1, 181–184

The Agreement

In our continuing exploration on "The Question!" of believe, we will be looking at agreements this week.  Please take some time to consider the discussion questions below.  Be prepared to share your thinking with others in the group.

• How close is what you believe to what you think? Explain your answer.
• How does the "heart" differ from the "mind"? How are they similar?
• On a scale from 1 to 10, with descriptors identified below, how to you rate yourself? Why?
       (10) A person who makes a snap decision.
       (5) A person who takes time and considers many angles before making a decision.
       (1) A person who seems to never make a decision, no matter how much time, information, or resources they have.
• Do you have to agree with someone for them to be right? Why or why not?
• Can you agree to disagree with man? With God? Explain your answers.
• Describe a situation where you didn't agree with God. How did it turn out?
• How many agreements can you have at one time? Explain your answer.
• Describe an agreement that you have made with God. Is the agreement fulfilled?
• How is your decision-making influenced by God?
• What is a decision you have made without considering God? How did it turn out?
• After reading James 2:19, how do you explain the difference between the intellectual acknowledgement of God and to believe God?
• It is claimed that Socrates said: "No man voluntarily pursues evil …". Describe why you agree or disagree with this.
• The latter part of Romans 14:23 states "If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. (NLT)" and "If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong. (MSG)". How does this portion of scripture line up with the way you think and the way you live?

I'm looking forward to our time together!!



"… the marriage of true minds ..."
- Sonnet 116

The Contract

Ok, here we are, meeting to begin a process to evaluate our thinking on the topic of "contracts".  We'll be spending some time on this topic over the next couple of weeks, so don't worry that you'll miss something as we dig into this concept.

Below are the questions which will be used during our small group breakout.

• In your understanding, what is a legal contract?
• What are the elements of a contract?
• How many parties are involved in a simple contract?
• What validates a contract?
• What is a breach of a contract?
• What constitutes a breach of a contract?
• Who commits the breach of a contract?
• The Bible speaks of an Old and a New Testament. What does this mean to you personally?
• What does one have to do acquire faith?
• Does the unbeliever have faith?

I'm so excited to continue our discovery on this whole topic.  We've talked about the scripture in Romans 12 about "changing the way you think".  Another scripture to consider is Proverbs 4:23 (NCV) "Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life."

 

"I'll not budge an inch ... "
- The Taming of the Shrew

The Question!

OK!  Here we are again, getting ready to start another season of growth in our journey with Jesus!  I'd like to welcome back those who have been in this group before.  Additionally, I'd like to welcome those who are new!  First, a little background - this will be old news to the prior attendees: This group is all about getting the Bible out of the box - both literally and figuratively. We challenge our thinking using a combination of the Bible, questions, and discussion. We actively pursue the Bible in "changing the way you think" - Romans 12:2 (NLT).

Our subject title for this season will be "The Question!" ... to adapt that well known quote in William Shakespeare's Hamlet: "To believe, or not to believe: that is the question!"  Our challenge of walking as a Christian while on this earth, is to believe or not to believe that what God says is true.

I have a emerging conviction that believe and faith differ.  And, as we'll discover together, I think it is in the action part of our response.  We'll be digging deeper into what it is to believe and what it will take to put the verb back into faith.  So, hang on to your feather quill and let the discovery begin!!

Our first time together this season will be Monday, October 4, 2010, 6:00pm for dinner followed by the meeting beginning at 7:00pm.  The menu is to be determined, but please bring a salad or dessert to share with the group.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me (via email, or via comment to this blog).

With bated breath!