ISI 9: Predestination vs Free Will

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

What are three things most people don’t know about you?  And what are three “quirky” things about you?

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson:

             (Oh, this is gonna be fun!)  I know that this is a “hot button” topic, and it can get people really worked up.  So let’s not let this issue become divisive.  Scholars and theologians through the centuries have not come to an agreement on this topic, and I do not think that we will be able to figure it all out either.  But let’s at least explore it and try to figure out what we believe, why we believe it, and why it matters. 

            I am going to present to you my view on this issue, but it doesn’t mean that I am necessarily right.  I am giving it to you as a starting point and as food-for-thought, to give you things to consider and talk about and disagree with.  I am not a Bible teacher or scholar, so remember that this is just my opinion.  If you disagree, discuss with others why you disagree and what you think Scripture really says. 

ISI 8: Bringing God Glory

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

What are some things that you are passionate about in life, that really spark your enthusiasm?  What are some of your “soapbox” issues, the issues that get you fired up, that you have strong feelings and opinions about?

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson and Verses:

            Psalm 96:4, 8:  “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise . . . Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name . . .”

            John 14:13:  “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.”

            1 Corinthians 10:31:  “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
     
            God is worthy of praise and glory!  Jesus’s goal was to bring glory to the Father!  We need to do everything for God’s glory! 

            But do we really esteem God’s glory as much as we are supposed to?  As much as God does?  (Or do we just say that we do?)   

ISI 7: Wisdom and Fearing God

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

What are the best pieces of advice you have ever heard or the top mottos you try to live by?  If you could go back and offer your "younger self" some advice, what would it be?

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson:

            How many of us would like to be wise?  I’m sure all hands just went up.  Yet how many of us really know what it takes to be wise?  Here’s a hint: it’s not going to school longer or getting a better degree or reading more.  All of that is about finding more information, more knowledge. 

            But if we want to find real wisdom, there is a prerequisite, according to the Bible. 

            Psalm 111:10 says that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  If we want wisdom, we need to fear Him.  Yet how easy is it to have more fear of everything else than of Him?  At least it is for me.  I fear losing control, failing, losing our health, missing God’s Will for my life, making mistakes, etc.  I fear everything sometimes . . . except Him!

ISI 6: Forgiveness

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

Who in your life, in the world, or in history do you most admire?  (Besides Jesus.)  Why?  Who in the Bible (besides Jesus) do you most admire, relate to, or find intriguing?   

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson and Bible Verses:

            Okay, so we looked at our relationship with the Lord and how our past and our fears affect it.  Now let’s turn our attention outward, to other people.  As humans, we all hurt others and are hurt by others.  And the world’s way to deal with this is to hold grudges or to punish others.  But God has a lot to say about forgiveness – His forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others.  And these have major impacts on our relationship with Him and our standing before Him. 

            Mark 11:25:  “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”  

            Matthew 6:14-15:  “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” 

            Psalm 66:18:  “. . . If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened”

ISI 5: A Proper Balance

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

What three things would you love to do before you leave this planet?

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson:

            1 John 4:15-18: “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  . . . There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

            The truth in this verse never really stood out to me until I took down the walls that were around my heart and let God flood my heart with His love and heal the old wounds.  When the walls were up, I was relating to Him out of fear.  I did love Him and knew in my head that He loved me – because the Bible told me so – but I didn’t live out of His love.  I lived out of fear that I would pray wrong, speak wrong, displease Him, let Him down, fail Him, etc.  I feared His wrath.  I feared being abandoned.  I feared everything because I wasn’t able to really know and rely on His love.  Not until the walls came down. 

ISI 4: Transparency and Tearing Down Walls

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

What movie or show would you love to have been a part of?  And why?  What real event?

Open With Prayer (specifically that God opens your eyes to the truth about yourself, that He reveals to you if there are any walls around your heart that are blocking Him.)

Read Lesson:

            Matthew 5:8:  “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”  

            Pure.  Being free from impurities.  Impurities are those things that pollute what is true and genuine and good.  And what pollutes our hearts is falsehood, hiding from the truth or hiding the truth.  Deliberately living a lie or unconsciously agreeing with one.  Sin.  These keep us from being able to really experience, see, and know God.  But if we will live authentic, transparent lives before God, we will know Him (and ourselves) in a way we never could before.

ISI 3: Humble Like a Child

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

If you had one weekend to spend any way you wanted and money was not an issue, how would you spend your weekend? 

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson:

            Matthew 18:2-4:  “He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And he said:  ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” 

            Whoever humbles himself like a child!  This, I believe, should be the ultimate goal of every believer.  Humility.  Brokenness.  Now, everyone might define humility a little differently, but here’s my attempt at it: 

            Humility is recognizing and freely admitting that we are needy, helpless, and dependent.  It’s knowing that we need our Heavenly Father desperately, that we are helpless to do anything without Him, and that we are fully dependent on Him daily.  It’s resting in and so completely trusting His goodness and love that no matter what happens, we can still say, “Father, I trust You.”  And it’s knowing that everything is by His power and for His glory, and wanting nothing more than to see Him glorified in our lives.  To me, this is what it means to be humbled, to be “sweetly broken” (as the song by Jeremy Riddle calls it – listen to it if you can.  It’s wonderful). 

ISI 2: In the World, Not Of the World

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

What are some of your all-time favorite movies or books, and why?  Which have made you cry?  And what are some that you dislike the most, and why? 

Open With Prayer

Read Lesson:

            Philippians 3:18-20:  “. . . many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.  Their mind is on earthly things.  But our citizenship is in heaven. . . .”

            As Christians, we are citizens of two different worlds – the world (including our own country and society) and God’s Kingdom.  Oftentimes, these worlds are in conflict, such as when it comes to their purposes and goals, what they rely on and consider important, how they define “success,” and how they value people.  So given all of this conflict and difference, how can we as Christians best live out this verse about being in the world but not of it?     

            Let’s break down some of the challenges and differences we face.

Iron Sharpens Iron (ISI) 1: A Full, Abundant Life

[This Bible Study starts here.  And remember that my answers to some of the questions are in [brackets].]

Icebreaker Question:

Briefly describe your life/spiritual life up to now.  And what are some of the most exciting or memorable times in your life so far?   

Have someone open the meeting with prayer

Read Lesson:

            In John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

            We hear all different kinds of things today about the kind of life God wants for us.  I have heard preachers say that God wants us to wear fine clothes and live in big homes because we are the “children of the King.”  And so we shouldn’t be living like paupers.  [And this notion probably appeals to a lot of us because we would love to believe that we should be getting all we want on this side of eternity.  Isn’t that what life is about, after all?  Rack up as many toys and as much happiness as you can before the final trumpet blows?  (Note the sarcasm.)]

            But I have also read that we should basically live as paupers, giving no thought to our needs while we take care of God’s Kingdom and the poor.  [And while this thought appeals to very few people, these “sacrificial givers” are the ones that we admire the most.  They are the ones that make us say, “I wish I could be more like them.  They are so inspiring.”  But then we get back in our fancy cars, sipping our $5 coffee, and go back to our full homes and play with our many toys.]  And we shouldn’t do anything special for ourselves or worry at all about our appearance or happiness because that stems from vanity, pride, and self-centeredness.  

            So which is it?  What kind of a life does God want for us?  What does Jesus mean when He says that He wants to give us a “full life”?  One female "minister" recently made the claim before the Senate Judiciary Committee that when Jesus said He came to give us a "full life," He was advocating for social rights that would allow us to have the life we want, which includes having access to birth-control.  (And I say ... "What!?!")  

            Is that what Jesus means, that we should be able to have the life we want?  Is the "full life" about our happiness and comfort and ease?  About living fancy or plain lives?  Does the “full life” even relate to physical life on this earth, or is it talking about our spiritual lives and eternity?  Or is it both?  And what does all of this mean for how we live our lives today?  Do Christians today even look any different from the world, or are we pursuing the same things they are?

"Iron Sharpens Iron" Bible Study Intro

            For all of May, I am going to post a series that I have on my other blog.  It’s a free Bible Study that I put together.  Basically what I did was write one that I would love to do with other people.  But in case that never happens, I wanted to a chance to answer some of the questions that I asked.  They are the kind of questions that I love to think about.  I won’t answer all of them, just the ones that I felt like answering.  My answers will be in [brackets].  
            And if you want to check out the full Bible Study without my answers, go to sweetlybrokengirl.blogspot.com.  
            This Bible Study is also on its own blogspot (with my answers) at ironsharpensironbiblestudy.blogspot.com.
            

            Well, here goes . . .

   

 The “Iron Sharpens Iron” Bible Study

            Proverbs 27:17:  “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

            Have you been a Christian for a long time?  Do you have a good grasp on the basics of Christianity and Scripture?  Do you like to spend time with other people discussing what you’ve learned about Scripture and how to apply it to your life?  Do you like wrestling with the more challenging verses and issues? 

            I would love to have a Bible study that would take me deeper into my faith, that would make me wrestle with some of the harder things of Scripture, and that would help me build a deeper relationship with others as we explored these hard things together.  But most Bible studies that I come across go over the basics of Christianity.  And that’s great, but I’ve already done many of those throughout the decades that I have been a believer.  And so since I couldn’t seem to find one that went beyond the basics, I decided to write my own.