June 12 – 18

Weekly Reading for June 12 – 18

Preparing for Next Week’s Message

Sermon Series: Real Faith
Sermon Title: Real Faith Is About God's Will and Not My Whims

This reading plan will get your heart and mind set for the next message on June 19, 2016:


Reflecting on the Most Recent Sermon

Sermon Series: Real Faith
Sermon Title: Real Faith Is Built on Heavenly Wisdom and Not Popular Opinion
Delivered On: June 12, 2016

WATCH SERMON VIDEO
VIEW WEEKLY BULLETIN
VIEW SERMON NOTES

Memorize and Reflect

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom… (James 3:13)


Prayer Direction

Pray for God to help you recognize where earthly wisdom (popular opinion) has slipped into your thinking. Ask for power to push aside popular opinion and hold to the unchanging truth of God and His heavenly wisdom. Identify one of the areas of heavenly wisdom in James 3:17 & 18 that needs to grow in your life and pray daily for this to increase for God’s glory.


“Live It!” Challenge

Life Exam – Use the sermon notes from this message and look at the contrasts of earthly “wisdom” vs. heavenly wisdom. Look at your last week and ask yourself, with true humility, are you exhibiting more heavenly wisdom or more earthly “wisdom”? Where you are living in heavenly wisdom, give praise to God and commit to stay on this pathway in a growing measure. Where you are on the other side of the fence and your life reflects earthly “wisdom,” confess this and ask God for power to change. If you want to go one step farther, share what you learned with a close Christian friend and invite them to pray for you and keep you accountable as you work on the areas you need to move toward heavenly wisdom.


Small Group Discussion

  1. What are some “Popular Opinions” you have seen change in your lifetime?

  2. As you look back through history, what are some of the “popular opinions” that were fully acceptable but clearly not honoring to God?

  3. What are some of the dangers we might face if we base our sense of what is right and true on popular opinion?

  4. Read: James 3:14-16 How do you see envy (resentment of others) and selfishness (focus on self) becoming more and more normative and acceptable in our world? What are some of the consequences this leads to in personal lives, families, communities, and the world?

  5. Read: James 3:13 and James 3:17-18 If a person is driven by humility rather than envy and selfish ambition, how might this impact their relationships, family, and life in general?

  6. Pick one of the contrasts below and talk about how our life is shaped one way or the other depending on if we follow heavenly wisdom or earthly wisdom (Popular opinion):
    · Peace-Loving and not conflict-seeking
    · Considerate and not rude
    · Full of mercy and not stingy with mercy
    · Impartial and not unjust
    · Sincere and not phony

  7. Which of the five contrasts above do you need to work on moving more toward the heavenly wisdom side of the equation? What steps do you need to take and how can your group members pray for you and keep you accountable?

  8. Which of the five contrasts above do you feel you are growing in and taking steps forward that honor God? How can your group members celebrate with you and encourage you to continue on this good path?

  9. What are some “Popular Opinions” you have seen change in your lifetime?

  10. As you look back through history, what are some of the “popular opinions” that were fully acceptable but clearly not honoring to God?

  11. What are some of the dangers we might face if we base our sense of what is right and true on popular opinion?

  12. Read: James 3:14-16 How do you see envy (resentment of others) and selfishness (focus on self) becoming more and more normative and acceptable in our world? What are some of the consequences this leads to in personal lives, families, communities, and the world?

  13. Read: James 3:13 and James 3:17-18 If a person is driven by humility rather than envy and selfish ambition, how might this impact their relationships, family, and life in general?

  14. Pick one of the contrasts below and talk about how our life is shaped one way or the other depending on if we follow heavenly wisdom or earthly wisdom (Popular opinion):
    · Peace-Loving and not conflict-seeking
    · Considerate and not rude
    · Full of mercy and not stingy with mercy
    · Impartial and not unjust
    · Sincere and not phony

  15. Which of the five contrasts above do you need to work on moving more toward the heavenly wisdom side of the equation? What steps do you need to take and how can your group members pray for you and keep you accountable?

  16. Which of the five contrasts above do you feel you are growing in and taking steps forward that honor God? How can your group members celebrate with you and encourage you to continue on this good path?