“Visible Reminders”
DISCUSSION: There is a growing number of health-conscious folks who are discovering that wearing a pedometer helps them increase their level of daily exercise. Some have even bought an expensive wrist gadget called a “Fitbit” to track heart rate, exercise, activity and sleep. These devices are both a recorder and a motivator for them; knowing how many steps that take per outing, encourages them to walk more. One woman’s goal was ten thousand steps a day. To…
“What’s on the Inside Counts”
DISCUSSION: Shopping for a good watermelon is difficult because no matter how good it looks on the outside, it’s hard to tell what it’s really like on the inside. We can tap it, thump it, and squeeze it, only to take it home and discover that the inside is not edible. In Mark 7, we see Jesus’ disciples didn’t wash their…
“Entering Our Rest”
DISCUSSION: Read over Hebrews 4.1-11 before you go to bed tonight. Then discuss how important it is for us to get into that “rest” that the writer is talking about. Imagine what that rest will be like, and then discuss it with your loved ones. Try to think of it as a family vacation that never ends, and how it would be a shame if we were not all there together. Each member of your family is responsible…
“It is the Lord!”
DISCUSSION: Jesus said to her, ‘Give Me a drink’” (John 4:7). How many of us are expecting Jesus Christ to quench our thirst when we should be satisfying Him! We should be pouring out our lives, investing our total beings, not drawing on Him to satisfy us. “You shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Acts 1:8). That means lives of pure,…
“The Call of the Natural Life”
DISCUSSION: The call of God is not a call to serve Him in any particular way. My contact with the nature of God will shape my understanding of His call and will help me realize what I truly desire to do for Him. The call of God is an expression of His nature; the service which results in my life is suited to me and is an expression of my nature. The…
“The Voice of the Nature of God”
DISCUSSION: When we talk about the call of God, we often forget the most important thing, namely, the nature of Him who calls. There are many things calling each of us today. Some of these calls will be answered, and others will not even be heard. The call is the expression of the nature of the One who calls, and we can only recognize the call if that same…
“Total Surrender”
DISCUSSION: Our Lord replies to this statement of Peter by saying that this surrender is “for My sake and the gospel’s” (10:29). It was not for the purpose of what the disciples themselves would get out of it. Beware of surrender that is motivated by personal benefits that may result. For example, “I’m going to give myself to…
“The Impoverished Ministry of Jesus”
DISCUSSION: The well is deep”—and even a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew (4:11)! Think of the depths of human nature and human life; think of the depth of the “wells” in you. Have you been limiting, or impoverishing, the ministry of Jesus to the point that He is unable to work in your life? Suppose that you have a deep “well” of hurt and trouble inside your heart,…
“Seek”
DISCUSSION : As we are preparing to begin a new week, let’s seek opportunity to do good and be mindful of what example we set for others. Remembering always that to successfully navigate the ebbs and flows of life we must acknowledge that God is in control, that in confusing times we must affirm our faith, and that we must always seek to apply ourselves to doing good.
“Encourage”
DISCUSSION : We talk about being a good Christian almost every time we go to church or hear a lesson from the Bible. There is nothing wrong with talking about Christianity, but we need to concentrate on things that are emphasized in the Bible. You can find the word Christian three times in the Word. Perhaps the thing we need to concentrate on is the thing that is mentioned 109 times in the…
“Apply Ourselves”
DISCUSSION : Ecclesiastes 3. 12 says “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.” God wants us to do good and to be happy. So it’s probable that if you aren’t doing good, you aren’t happy, and if you’re not happy it could be because you’re not doing good. Everyday presents an opportunity to do good and to exemplify a Christ-like attitude. People not…
“Affirm Our Faith”
DISCUSSION : Ecclesiastes 3.11 says “He has made everything beautiful in its time: Also he has put eternity into mans heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Solomon is saying that while we may not fully understand the why behind the ebbs and flows of life or be able to grasp the wholeness of His plan, He has a plan and our part is to…