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The Jesus Calling
52-Week Discussion Guide
By Sarah Young Thomas Nelson
Copyright © 2016 Sarah Young
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7180-9488-1
CHAPTER 1
The Jesus Calling® 52-Week Discussion Guide
The following discussion-guide questions are based on entries from the devotional Jesus Calling®. The selections are identified by date; however, the discussion sessions do not have to be done on a specific date. The references are simply used to help you locate the passages. Questions can be used for group discussion or personal reflection any time of the year.
Discussion #1: GOING OUT ON A LIMB
Please read the devotion (or listen if you have the Jesus Calling® audiobook) and related Scripture passages from Jesus Calling® dated January 1, and then answer/discuss these questions:
1. Do you feel a sense of caution or the thrill of risk-taking when deciding whether or not to try something new or to chase a dream you've always had? Describe a time when you took a risk. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
2. The Scripture reference today from Jeremiah 29:11 tells you that God knows "the plans [He has] for you, ... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Knowing that God has your future in His hands, how much more open does this make you to taking some risks and pursuing your dreams? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
3. Because God knows us better than we know ourselves, His vision for us is far beyond the one we can imagine for ourselves. However, if we spend time in His presence, we catch the vision for the life He has for us and can act on the promptings of His Spirit. What is one step you can take today, or this week, to put a dream that He's planted in your heart into motion? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
Discussion #2: Our Plans, God's Timing
Please read the devotion (or listen if you have the Jesus Calling audiobook) and related Scripture passages from Jesus Calling dated January 9, and then answer/discuss these questions:
1. What are some plans you have made for your life, and what do you see as the main action steps you need to take or have taken to achieve these plans? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
2. Today's reading tells us that one of the ways God shows His sovereignty is in the timing of events. Think about various key landmarks in your life so far. How did they come to fruition? Were they in the way you planned and in the timing you were expecting? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
3. "Never Give Up" is a great motto to live by, and Romans 8:31 tells us, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Sometimes it can be tempting to give up on something when it doesn't come easily or within the time frame you want. How will you endeavor to persevere and let God, in His infinite wisdom, set the pace instead of trying to set it yourself? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
Discussion #3: Rehearsing Your Troubles
Please read the devotion (or listen if you have the Jesus Calling audiobook) and related Scripture passages from Jesus Calling dated January 16, and then answer/discuss these questions:
1. What difficult moments of your life do you find yourself replaying in your mind in order to "think your way through those trials"? Does this practice allow you to move forward or is it a detriment to working through these moments in your life? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
2. God doesn't expect us to continually carry the burden of trials. Matthew 11:28–30 tells us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Think about why you have allowed yourself to keep reliving difficult moments. Identify ways you can refrain from placing yourself in a state of unrest over such events. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
3. Today's reading reminds us that we are only meant to go through our troubles once; rehearsing them over and over multiplies our suffering. Write a prayer asking God to help you release yourself from the bondage of these thoughts and help you live in the present moment with His grace and peace. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
Discussion #4: Perfect Love for an Imperfect Life
Please read the devotion (or listen if you have the Jesus Calling audiobook) and related Scripture passages from Jesus Calling dated January 26, and then answer/discuss these questions:
1. Do you hunger for a resolution to life's difficulties? When bad things happen, do you question God's love for you? How do you deal with these feelings? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
2. Today's reading shares the sobering news that Jesus gave His disciples: "In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33). How can we allow our hope to navigate this life when we know that life won't be trouble free? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
3. John 16:33 illustrates how we can find peace amidst a troubled existence by reminding us that God has "overcome the world." What are some ways you can tap into God's perfect, omnipotent love as you walk through an imperfect life? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
Discussion #5: Your Source of Security
Please read the devotion (or listen if you have the Jesus Calling audiobook) and related Scripture passages from Jesus Calling dated January 31, and then answer/discuss these questions:
1. What causes you to worry? What or who makes you feel secure? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
2. Psalm 56:3 encourages us that whenever we are afraid, we should trust in God. How does fear and worry affect your trust in God? In what ways can you rely on God as your strength and shield when your fears and worries overtake you? Write a prayer asking God to help you be more secure in Him. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
3. Today's reading speaks to how God's presence "watches over [you] continually." How have you experienced God watching over you in your life–events that can't be explained any other way except His hand protecting, helping, and guiding you? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
Discussion #6: A Moment's Peace
Please read the devotion (or listen if you have the Jesus Calling audiobook) and related Scripture passages from Jesus Calling dated February 5, and then answer/discuss these questions:
1. What is your definition of being peaceful? What are some of the ways you try to bring peace into your life? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
2. Romans 8:6 tells us, "The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Describe people in your life whom you would consider to be peaceful. What are some characteristics you admire about them? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
3. Today's reading reminds us that we "can have as much of [God] and [His] Peace as [we] want, through thousands of correct choices" during our day. How can you tell when a choice you have made is the right one, and how do you deal with circumstances or people who may tempt you to make choices you don't feel good about? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
Discussion #7: Where Joy Resides
Please read the devotion (or listen if you have the Jesus Calling audiobook) and related Scripture passages from Jesus Calling dated February 12, and then answer/discuss these questions:
1. Today's reading lets us know that when we look to Jesus, "knowing [Him] as God with you," we experience joy. What brings you immediate joy in life? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
2. Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight "in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." What does it mean to you to "delight" in the Lord? Do you believe that when you delight in the Lord, He will provide all that you need? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
3. Think about what you long for in life. Examine those desires and hold them up to God's invitation to fulfill the desires of your heart. How will you behave differently in pursuit of your longings after looking at it in the context of God fulfilling your desires? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
Discussion #8: Complaining Is Draining
Please read the devotion (or listen if you have the Jesus Calling audiobook) and related Scripture passages from Jesus Calling dated February 21, and then answer/discuss these questions:
1. Today's reading reminds us, "Thankfulness keeps you from criticizing and complaining: those 'sister sins' that so easily entangle you." Are there areas in your life where you find yourself being critical of others or complaining about your own state of affairs? What are some ways you can shed a different light on these situations in order to move from complaining and criticizing to trusting and being thankful? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
2. A critical or complaining approach to situations can lead us into a cycle of victimhood, where we develop a pattern of blaming others for our misfortunes in life. Is there anyone in your life whom you are blaming for something that brings you unhappiness? What steps can you take to be released from the prison of being a victim? How can you replace blame with forgiveness, and what actions will remedy the issue? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
3. Giving over to a complaining or critical spirit can also lead to the death of a hopeful outlook on life, leaving us drained and defeated. In Psalm 141:8, David prayed, "But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge — do not give me over to death." When you are tempted to complain, immediately think of something you are thankful for and lift those thoughts to God before uttering the complaints. How might this make your life different? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
Discussion #9: Avoiding the Quick Fix
Please read the devotion (or listen if you have the Jesus Calling audiobook) and related Scripture passage from Jesus Calling dated February 27, and then answer/discuss these questions:
1. When life is going well, staying on the straight and narrow seems a lot easier. However, as today's reading describes, sometimes "waves of adversity are washing over you, and you feel tempted to give up." Describe a time in your life when you sought comfort from temporary fixes that in the end weren't good for you. What kinds of things or behaviors did you turn to in order to help ease the pain of disappointment? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
2. When we think of what we are tempted by that may make us feel good temporarily, we eventually come to realize these temptations can ultimately cause us to hurt ourselves and others. What have you found to be the strongest defense and motivation for putting those things out of your life? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
3. Today's passage from 1 Corinthians 10:13 assures us this: "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." Describe a time when God led you to a new path to help you move away from a dead-end road where quick fixes might have led you. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. Copyright © 2016 Sarah Young. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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